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24
Dec 2022
Harrogate councillor apologises for ongoing Kirkby Malzeard road closure
A senior Harrogate councillor has apologised for a two-year road closure in Kirkby Malzeard and indicated it could reopen in the new year.
The closure was put in place on Church Street due to a collapsed wall at St Andrew’s Church in the village following heavy rainfall in February 2020.
Since then, Harrogate Borough Council has committed to repair the damage — which is set to cost £491,670.
However, the collapse has left the road closed for two years to the inconvenience of local residents.
At a full council meeting this month, Cllr Nigel Simms, who represents Masham and Kirkby Malzeard on the borough council, asked when the road would reopen.
Reconstructed church wall at St Andrew's in Kirkby Malzeard.
In response, Cllr Graham Swift, deputy leader of the authority, said the closure had been an “extremely long time” and apologised for the inconvenience.
He added that work was in progress on the repairs and indicated that the road could reopen in January.
Cllr Swift said:
He added:
£500,000 repair bill
The final bill for the repair is set to cost the council nearly £500,000. Council officials said the cost reflected the “volatile nature of the construction market at the moment”.
The increased cost is set to be funded from the council’s investment reserves.
The repair works which have followed came after residents and parish councillors frustrated by more than two years of delays, urged the council to end the “farce” of the church wall.
Read more:
- Six months after the Kirkby Malzeard wall collapsed
- ‘End this farce’: Kirkby Malzeard wall to finally be rebuilt
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