North York Moors National Park Authority (NYMNPA) will leave its current dilapidated offices and move to new £4m headquarters — despite concerns the decision could put the organisation at financial risk.
Members approved a final business case to create a new purpose-built base in Riccal Drive, Helmsley, after hearing that the current offices at the Old Vicarage in the town’s Bondgate were no longer fit for purpose.
A vote on the move was taken today (MONDAY) at a special meeting of the authority following five years of preparatory work on the relocation.
Tom Hind, chief executive of NYMNPA, told members it was no longer possible to “just muddle through” at the current headquarters.
“The cracks are literally becoming more evident and visible the more time that we spend in this building.
“We reached a point where significant investment must be made to fix the roof and beyond. We can’t continue as an organisation just to muddle through in terms of our property.”
Mr Hind said the move was about “looking to the future” of the park authority.
He added: “(It’s about) the kind of organisation that we’re seeking to become, the ambition that we’ve got for the organisation, making sure that we’ve got a working environment that’s fit for purpose and sets us up to succeed for the next 40 years.”
The meeting heard that the existing offices had a range of problems, including damp, water leaks, a historic layout which was unsuitable for modern working, a lack of car parking and difficulties with access for the disabled. .
The full cost of the new offices has not been revealed for commercial reasons, however the report estimates that over the next 40 years, the new headquarters would cost £4.26m, while renovating and remaining at the Old Vicarage site would cost slightly more at £4.30m.
NYMNPA would need to borrow around £2.22m to build the Riccal Drive offices.
Several members spoke in favour of the move.
Jim Bailey, chair of the authority, said: “When Tom (Hind) says to us, as head of paid service, that doing nothing isn’t an option, the responsible group for the staff have to take heed of that. You can’t just ignore it and say ‘no’ to something.
“Although my instinct is that I didn’t really want to move and to spend money that is for the public, when I really look at myself in the mirror, this is the job that we’re here to do and I’m going to support it.”
Councillor Steve Mason, park authority member and North Yorkshire councillor for the Amotherby and Ampleforth division, said: “I think this is an investment for true sustainable development.
“I think what we’re doing here is investing in the future of the park.”
But Councillor George Jabbour, a member of the authority who represents the Helmsley and Sinnington division and is the current chairman of North Yorkshire Council, spoke against the move.
He said the authority could make repairs to the Old Vicarage and use the money earmarked for the new building to support the community affected by the Fylingdales wildfire and improve rights of way.
He added: “There is a huge amount of money that is better used to invest in the community or to invest in our purposes rather than in this posh, luxurious building that’s not going to serve us, that’s not going to serve our purposes.
“This £4m is going to put the authority at a big financial risk. We don’t know what we don’t know. There are significant unknowns there. It could potentially bankrupt the authority in the future.”
Despite the concerns, members voted nine to three in support of the move and the sale of the Old Vicarage.
The location of the new headquarters has angered some local residents who say it will create additional traffic along what is now a residential street.
Helmsley Town Council also criticised North Yorkshire Council’s decision last year to grant the headquarters planning permission, saying it contravened Helmsley Plan, which requires development in the town to be coordinated.
Town councillors said that had not happened with the headquarters scheme and plans for around 50 houses plus commercial units on a nearby site.
The new headquarters will feature on-site parking for staff and visitors, including disabled spaces, cycle storage and electric vehicle (EV) charging.
Landscaped outdoor areas would offer additional space for meetings and breaks, while the site’s proximity to the authority’s southern depot at the Old Print Works would reduce staff travel between locations and support more cohesive working.
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