Reopening of historic railway station on track following building acquisition
Plans to reopen a North Yorkshire railway station in North Yorkshire have made major developments following the acquisition of a former station house in Goldsborough.
The development company behind a new village community at Flaxby is planning to reopen Goldsborough Railway Station as a new park and ride station, called Flaxby Parkway Station.
Goldsborough Railway Station opened in 1850 and was regularly used by members of the Royal family visiting nearby Goldsborough Hall, which was the marital home of Princess Mary, a great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria.
The station closed to passengers in 1958, and its freight services ceased in 1965.
Train operator Northern has already shown its support for the development with a letter backing the proposals, with Network Rail also confirming there are “no significant technical obstacles to the delivery of a new station” at Flaxby.
The station will form part of Flaxby Park, which will see Flaxby’s disused golf course redeveloped into a new sustainable village community. The golf course was acquired in 2016 by Flaxby Park Ltd, which is owned by businesswoman and philanthropist Ann Gloag OBE, and regeneration specialists, Chris Musgrave and Trevor Cartner.
A submitted planning application for the development includes 2,750 new homes, a retirement village, two primary schools, a GP surgery, sports facilities and a new village centre. More than 50% of the site will consist of green open space.
Flaxby Park Ltd, development director Matt Johnson, said: “The transport provision at Flaxby Park is a major feature of our development and acquiring the original station house and securing the support of Northern, are both key milestones in our ambitions to create a new park and ride station that will benefit the whole area.
“The station will offer direct rail services to Harrogate, Leeds and York, as well as offering a strategically located park and ride service for neighbouring communities and commuters, shoppers and tourists coming off the A1(M). In addition, it will serve employees at Flaxby’s consented business and science park, which support up to 2,840 jobs.”
Flaxby Park has been designed by a team of consultants, including local architects, Wildblood Macdonald and transport planning advisors, Fore Consulting.
