Striking but unloved Harrogate town centre landmark may be demolished by April as part of £10.9m Gateway project

Constructed between 1988 and 1992, the 5.2m high tempietto Italianate bandstand, pictured right, lies in Harrogate Conservation Area. (Picture Gerard Binks)

One of Harrogate’s most striking but largely unloved architectural features may face demolition as early as April.

North Yorkshire County Council has long maintained it was committed to creating a more active travel system in the town centre via its £10.9 million Harrogate Gateway project.

Now, as if to demonstrate that pledge is more than a case of good intentions, an application has been submitted by consultants by WSP on behalf of the county council to remove the ‘little temple’ on Station Parade to make way for the potential redevelopment.

Constructed between 1988 and 1992 as part of the Victoria Shopping Centre redevelopment, the 5.2m high tempietto Italianate bandstand lies in Harrogate Conservation Area but has struggled to win supporters.

As part of the new plans, Harrogate Borough Council’s principal conservation officer for place-shaping, Emma Gibbens, outlined the role the little temple had played on Station Square for 30 years.

"The tempietto is a modern structure. It serves as an interesting feature of Station Gardens but it has no heritage value,” she said.

"If the removal of the structure was not part of a new public realm scheme, its loss would be regrettable in terms of loss of visual interest.

"But the removal is part of a scheme that will provide a new high quality public realm to this part of the conservation area and there is no objection to its removal in this situation.”

The Harrogate Gateway project has been in development for three years and aims to bring cycle lanes and more walking to the town centre.

But measures such as reducing Station Parade to one-lane traffic and a part-pedestrianisation of James Street have proved to be unpopular with some business leaders.

If it goes ahead, the demolition of the tempietto will be the first example of working on the ground amid the delays and controversy of Gateway.

Supporters of the feature’s removal argue it is largely hidden from view when approaching from the south due to the intervening Grade II listed Jubilee Monument and the whole little square at Victoria Gardens is dwarfed by the surrounding buildings.