‘Iconic’ cliff lift among proposals to help Knaresborough ‘emerge from Harrogate’s shadow’£20,000 feasibility study to begin on Knaresborough cliff lift

A £20,000 study is to investigate the feasibility of a cliff lift in Knaresborough.

The idea of a lift connecting the steep divide between Waterside and the town centre has long been debated.

Now the government’s shared prosperity fund has awarded a £20,000 grant to conduct a feasibility study into the idea, a meeting of business group Knaresborough Chamber heard this week.

Peter Lacey, an executive member of the chamber, said in January the organisation and Knaresborough Town Council had agreed to work together to build a business case for better connectivity in the town.

Mr Lacey told this week’s meeting that £20,000 had now been awarded and the firms Carey Tourism and 56 Degree Insight would lead the market research.

The community group Renaissance Knaresborough promoted the cliff lift idea pre-covid and Ben Carey, of Carey Tourism, worked on an interim report on behalf of the now-defunct Harrogate Borough Council.

Mr Carey told the meeting he suspected the lift would be a long-term project costing about £5 million and connectivity would be key to its success. He said:

“We can produce the most wonderful, iconic structure but nobody is going to fund it unless you can show it will be transformative to Knaresborough.

“It’s all about connectivity — how you can make sure people spend more time and money in local businesses.”

Mr Carey also said it was essential that North Yorkshire Council extended the lease of Knaresborough Castle otherwise nobody would invest in the scheme.

The castle land, which is leased from the Duchy of Lancaster, is likely to host the lift.

Cllr Matt Walker, a Liberal Democrat who represents Knaresborough West on North Yorkshire Council, told the meeting the lease had nine years left and he was pushing for it to be extended.

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Business case to be drawn up for Knaresborough road train

A business plan is to be drawn up for introducing a road train in Knaresborough.

The steep slope between the town centre and the river can deter people from visiting both locations. Some visitors who walk along Waterside are not even aware of the town centre, and vice versa.

A road train and cliff lift have both been suggested as solutions.

Now Knaresborough Chamber of Trade and Commerce and Knaresborough Town Council have agreed to work together to build a business case for a road train.

The train would probably run from Conyngham Hall car park to York Place car park, which would also ease pressure on town centre parking.

Peter Lacey, an executive member of the chamber, said:

“It’s a serious proposition. We will do a robust assessment of the business case then conduct an appraisal on how to deliver it.

“We could have a trial and perhaps even hire one for a week over summer.”

Mr Lacey said the service could be provided by a private company, the town council or by a not-for-profit local company set up specifically for the purpose.

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He added he regarded a road train as complementary to a cliff lift rather than an alternative.

A cliff lift, he said, would be an “iconic piece of architecture and major project that took a long time to deliver” whereas a train would be more functional and deliverable quickly.

Mr Lacey said a second-hand road train similar to the Candy Cane Express that carried Christmas visitors around Harrogate would cost about £150,000.

But he said there was also the possibility of exploring a more expensive electric train similar to a large golf buggy and both ideas are would be investigated.

 

Plans for Knaresborough cliff lift ‘far from forgotten’

A Knaresborough not-for-profit organisation has said plans for a cliff lift in the town remain active — but devolution is delaying the process.

Renaissance Knaresborough is behind moves to create a lift linking Waterside and the town centre.

In a press release issued this week, it said plans have been in existence since 2005 but multiple obstacles have meant it is yet to come to fruition.

The organisation, which aims to support schemes that make the town better, said Knaresborough Castle and its grounds are owned by the Duchy of Lancaster but managed by Harrogate Borough Council under long-term lease.

It said the council supports the project but because the lease only has 11 years remaining the Duchy is reluctant to move forward until North Yorkshire devolution, which will see the council abolished, is finalised.

The press release said:

“The challenge is in renegotiating a long-term lease in the backdrop of the regional move to a unitary authority.

“Whilst there remains support from the council, we understand that there is an understandable hesitancy from the Duchy to renegotiate lease terms when a unitary authority transition has yet to be finalised.”

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Last week the Stray Ferret published an article about proposals for a Knaresborough land train to help tourists travel up the hill from Waterside. This would serve a similar purpose to the cliff lift but could probably be delivered sooner.

According to Renaissance Knaresborough, an independent tourism consultant found the scheme to be a viable prospect in 2019 and that “it is no longer a question of if, but when”.

The project has since received interest from private sector investors but no ownership structure has been identified, according to Renaissance Knaresborough.

Renaissance Knaresborough member Shan Oakes said:

“We feel that the cliff lift is a no-brainer, it’s desperately needed as part of a revival of the whole area.

“Knaresborough has been neglected for far too long. You watch people really struggle getting up that hill and those steps and its an access issue too.”