Council’s £9m HQ works begin
WORK has begun on the headquarters for Harrogate Borough Council, after Harry Fairclough Construction was appointed as the main contractor.
The council’s Knapping Mount site is set to be developed into a purpose-built headquarters for the authority.
It is currently being prepared for demolition, which is expected to take six weeks.
The new building, designed by architects Farrell and Clark, is expected to be completed in spring 2017.
David Jones, managing director of the Yorkshire division of Harry Fairclough said: “We are excited to get started on this iconic project that will provide an energy efficient, inspirational working environment for Harrogate Borough Council’s employees. We will be engaging local trades on the build and look forward to working closely with the Harrogate community.
Paul Jagger, partner at architects Farrell and Clark said: “”It has been an inspiration working so closely with the team at Harrogate Borough Council to create this new facility for the people of the Harrogate district and we are thrilled that preliminary site work is now underway”.
Councillor Graham Swift, Harrogate Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Tourism, Economic Development and Enterprise said: “The creation of new council headquarters is a momentous occasion for Harrogate Borough Council. The move will allow us to improve on the service we offer our customers and provide long term savings for the council taxpayer.
“We are keen for residents to be kept informed about progress and as such a blog has been created by the lead contractor Harry Fairclough Construction which will be frequently updated with information and will provide the opportunity for people to ask questions about the project.
“This project has been many years in the making, and I am delighted that we will shortly begin creating offices which will have far reaching benefits for the whole of the district.”
