Plans are on track to reopen a historic North Yorkshire railway station after the development company behind a major new village community at Flaxby, completed the acquisition of Goldsborough’s former station house.
As part of the scheme, Goldsborough Railway Station will be reopened as a new park and ride station, called Flaxby Parkway Station. In addition, train operator Northern has shown its support for the development with a letter backing the proposals. This follows Network Rail 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 transformed into a new sustainable village community. The golf course was acquired in 2016 by Flaxby Park Ltd, which is owned by internationally renowned businesswoman and philanthropist Ann Gloag OBE, and regeneration experts, Chris Musgrave and Trevor Cartner.
A submitted planning application for the development is currently available to view on Harrogate Borough Council’s website. It includes 2,750 high quality 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.
Development director Matt Johnson, from Flaxby Park Ltd, 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.
“The volume of two-way traffic that could potentially use the station throughout the day, will make it highly sustainable and significantly reduce traffic on the A59. This is especially true when it’s combined with all the other transport related provisions incorporated into the development, including increased bus services, which could be served by an electric fleet of vehicles, and improving access at the entrance of the site, which already offers easy access to junction 47 of the A1(M).”
Flaxby Park has been designed by a team of leading consultants, including local, respected architects, Wildblood Macdonald and transport planning advisors, Fore Consulting.
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, who shared the house with husband Henry, Viscount Lascelles, and their two sons George and Gerald. Goldsborough Railway Station closed to passengers in 1958, and its freight services ceased in 1965.
For further information and to view the planning application visit www.flaxbypark.com or www.harrogate.gov.uk.
0113 2082620
info@railbusinessdaily.com
15 Mariner Court, Wakefield WF4 3FL
