Harrogate Residents Association has been set up by residents who wish for Harrogate to remain prosperous and accessible to all. We are here to inform you about current future plans, which you may not even know about but which might impact you greatly.

Harrogate is currently a wonderful place to live, work and bring up a family. It has a unique and vibrant character and is a happy place too. It has even been voted so!

With great buildings, wonderful shopping, fabulous restaurants, and cultural life, all surrounded by our beautiful Stray.

However, it has not been free from issues and there have been a lot of mistakes made by councils past and present and this pandemic has truly tested the strength of its stability. At a time where it is most important to get things right for the future of this town, we need to be informed and unite to create the best plans for Harrogate’s future.

How many people know about what is being planned & how many people know about surveys & consultations?

There are plans to radically alter the Harrogate we all know with Government funding of £7.9m given to Harrogate Borough Council, North Yorkshire County Council & West Yorkshire. Some of these schemes have already happened, or are about to, and most of them seem to be given the go-ahead without local people really knowing what is happening. Did you know about these? Have you had a leaflet from the council through your door? Are they investing this in the best possible way for our town and its people? Have you had your say on the surveys?

We wish to inform you of the changes and the potential effects on the future of your town. Each page has a link to a survey, if there is one (sadly some have already closed) and any important dates we know of, as well as petitions, which we have set up to represent your voice. Hoping, to allow the people time to have their say, so that alternative solutions to improve our town can be considered.

Harrogate council says that:  “Sustainable transport is a key priority for this council.”  Yet they continue to build more and more homes, which simply bring more cars and more congestion and is unsustainable. We believe, we need to encourage travel diversity to cater for all.

Encouraging people to walk and cycle more, is a great for mental wellbeing and is a greener form of transport, however there must also be travel diversity to cater for all.  Electric vehicles and Park & Ride are two obvious ways of achieving this without being to the detriment of our economy, our businesses, our conference trade, and our town as a whole. Harrogate is blessed with wide streets and pavements and already has a great deal of provision for those who choose to cycle. However, this is not always practical or suitable when most people are time-poor and need convenience. Provision needs to be made for those with families who need to shop and for businesses to thrive. Harrogate is both hilly and often chilly with steep roads and a climate that is not always warm and sunny…too often it is cold, windy, and wet.

We believe Harrogate’s streets should be shared proportionately, with adequate provision made for those who are elderly or disabled. Existing pedestrianised roads could be made more welcoming than they currently are, whilst allowing reasonable through traffic on others to facilitate both visitors and those who live and work here.