£7m funding sought for schools and infrastructure

Work can get under way on two new schools and transport infrastructure improvements in Harrogate if funding of nearly £7m can be secured, councillors are to be told.

The work would be part of a 2,000-home housing and employment development approved by North Yorkshire Council as part of the West Harrogate Project.

The £6.8m grant from Homes England would ensure work could start on the schools and transport links before money came in from developers as part of their planning agreement, at which point the grant would be repaid, council officers said.

Nic Harne, from North Yorkshire Council, said early provision of infrastructure would help provide a "more sustainable new community".

In a report to councillors, Mr Harne, corporate director for community development, said: "The grant funding would pay for work to the local highway network for the new housing estates, as well as technical design and survey work on the school sites."

The money was being sought from the Homes England Brownfield, Infrastructure and Land Fund, Mr Harne explained.

There have been four planning applications for the project, three of which have been approved by councillors subject to planning conditions.

There was a risk the transport work could cost more to deliver than was received from the developers, however the costs had been checked by external consultants on behalf of the authority, council officers said.

There was a "risk the delivery of the sites could stall" and Section 106 money - which supports infrastructure - would not be collected in time to repay the recoverable grant, Mr Harne said.

But he added: "The strong housing market in Harrogate and the clear housing delivery agenda from central government makes this a low risk."

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the most recent planning application for the west of Harrogate was approved in December, with councillors giving the go-ahead for 480 houses off Otley Road.

The developer would be asked to make a range of contributions to local infrastructure, including almost £1.9m for a new primary school, £1.6m towards existing secondary schools, more than £1m for sporting facilities and £390,000 towards local health services, according to the report.

Senior members of North Yorkshire Council's executive committee were expected to discuss the grant on Tuesday.

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