North Yorkshire Council

 

Corporate Director of Community Development

 

27 February 2026

 

Skipton Canal Waterfront (Phase 2): Permission to apply for funding from the Local Authority High Street Fund

 

Report of the Head of Regeneration

 

1.0       PURPOSE OF REPORT

 

1.1         To seek approval for the submission of an application to the Local Authority High Street Fund for £250,000 to support the Skipton Canal Waterfront (Phase 2) project, from the Corporate Director of Community Development, in consultation with the Chief Finance Officer, with authority sub-delegated to the Assistant Director - Resources.

 

 

2.0       SUMMARY

 

2.1       The report recommends that North Yorkshire Council apply for £250,000 of grant funding from the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Local Authority High Street Fund, which was established to support projects emerging from the Town Investment Plan programme, to enable delivery of the Skipton Canal Waterfront (Phase 2) project.

 

3.0       BACKGROUND        

 

3.1       On 06 May 2025, the Council’s Executive approved the acceptance of funding from the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority (YNYCA) for the Town Investment Plan (TIP) programme. The programme will develop tailored investment plans for 32 towns and key service centres across North Yorkshire, providing a strategic and co-ordinated approach to regeneration and place-based investment.  These plans will help the Council and its partners identify investment priorities and establish a structured foundation for future business cases and investment decisions. 

 

3.2       As part of YNYCA’s commitment to the TIP programme, a capital fund has been created to support capital projects emerging from the TIP process.  The Local Authorities of North Yorkshire and York are eligible to bid for this funding.  The project list for the Local Authority High Street Fund was considered by the Growth Board on 18th December 2025, who supported the applications progressing to submission.

 

3.3       Regeneration and Localities Officers have reviewed evidence and carried out community consultation in Skipton.  This work identified transport connectivity as a key investment priority for the town.  Officers then worked with stakeholders and relevant Council services to develop a proposal for the Skipton Canal Waterfront (Phase 2), designed to address this identified need.

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.0       SKIPTON CANAL WATERFRONT (PHASE 2)

 

4.1       The Leeds & Liverpool Canal is a significant piece of historic infrastructure, a well-used active travel route, and an important visitor attraction. Within Skipton, the canal towpath provides key pedestrian and cycling connections between the bus and rail stations, the town centre, and surrounding residential and employment areas.

 

4.2       The most recent project, delivered through the Council’s Transforming Cities Fund programme, replaced the dilapidated Gallows Bridge and was completed in December 2025.  However, a 220‑metre stretch of towpath centred on Gallows Bridge, adjacent to the bus station and within the town centre, remains in poor condition. This area has significant potential to strengthen connectivity and enhance the visitor experience, forming the focus of the Local Authority High Street Fund bid.

 

4.3       The proposal for this section of towpath, includes the widening and resurfacing of the route, conserving the historic wash walls, improving mooring facilities, and installing high quality street furniture.

 

4.4       The project will deliver a high-quality area of public realm that provides a step free, year-round route linking key facilities, including the town centre, railway station, bus station, and car parks, supporting both everyday movement and recreation. This will contribute to the vitality of Skipton as an historic market and visitor destination.

 

4.5       The key stakeholders for this project include North Yorkshire Council, as the landowner of the Skipton bus station and areas of land fronting the Canal. Opposite these sites, the Canal, towpath, and adjacent land are owned by the Canal & River Trust, who are actively engaged in this scheme.

 

4.6       North Yorkshire Council will be responsible for the overall delivery of the project. Subject to the award of funding, delivery will be led by the Council’s Major Projects and Infrastructure team.  Design activity is being undertaken by Align Property Services (APS), with construction to be undertaken by North Yorkshire Highways (NYH).

 

4.7       The estimated total project value is £254,158, of which £250,000 is being sought from the Local Authority High Street Fund to finance the capital works. Match funding of £4,158 has been allocated from Regeneration revenue budgets to support project development costs, which are ineligible under the rules of the Local Authority High Street Fund.

 

5.0       CONSULTATION UNDERTAKEN AND RESPONSES

 

5.1       As part of project development, internal consultation has been undertaken with the Major Projects and Infrastructure team, who will be responsible for delivering the scheme.  Discussions have also taken place with the Transport Planning team to ensure alignment with proposals they are developing in the vicinity for a potential submission to the YNYCA Active Travel Fund.

 

5.2       The Skipton & Ripon Area Committee, at its meeting on 4th December 2025, endorsed the proposed scheme for inclusion within the Council’s package of projects to be submitted to the YNYCA Local Authority High Street Fund.

 

5.3       Legal services have assigned a lead contact to support the grant application process.

 

5.4       Community and business engagement undertaken as part of the TIP programme has demonstrated support for the type of intervention that this project is designed to deliver.

 

 

6.0       FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

 

6.1       The scope of this project covers land owned either by the Canal & River Trust (CRT) or North Yorkshire Council.  Both organisations are responsible for maintaining their respective assets, and it is anticipated that this will continue under existing arrangements, with no additional revenue requirement arising from the project.

 

7.0       LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

 

7.1       Grant terms and conditions are not available at the present time but will be reviewed by Legal services when released, should the bid be successful. If any of the grant terms and conditions present unacceptable risk for the Council, then the grant offer would be declined.

 

8.0       EQUALITIES IMPLICATIONS

 

8.1       There are no equalities implications from submitting the application.  Equalities implications will be re-appraised if the application is successful as part of the acceptance procedure

 

9.0       CLIMATE CHANGE IMPLICATIONS

 

9.1       There are no Climate Change implications from submitting the application. Climate and sustainability implications will be reappraised if the application is successful as part of the acceptance procedure

 

10.0     CONCLUSIONS

 

10.1     The Skipton Canal Waterfront (Phase 2) project represents a well‑developed, evidence‑based proposal that responds directly to priorities identified through the Town Investment Plan programme and local engagement. The project will deliver meaningful improvements to transport connectivity, public realm quality, and the visitor experience in a key part of Skipton town centre.

 

10.2     Submission of an application to the YNYCA’s Local Authority High Street Fund will enable the Council to secure the capital funding required to deliver the scheme. With match funding already identified and stakeholder support established, the project is ready to progress to delivery subject to the successful outcome of the funding bid.

 

11.0     REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS

 

11.1     The recommendation enables the Council to seek external capital funding to support a priority regeneration project identified through the Town Investment Plan programme. Relevant Council services have been engaged throughout project development, financial and revenue implications have been fully considered, and the scheme aligns with wider strategic and operational priorities for transport, place‑making, and regeneration in Skipton.

 

11.2     Submitting the funding application presents no additional financial or legal risk at this stage and provides an opportunity to secure significant investment to enhance the town centre and improve active travel connectivity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12.0

RECOMMENDATION

 

12.1

It is recommended that the Corporate Director of Community Development, in consultation with the Chief Finance Officer and with authority sub‑delegated to the Assistant Director – Resources, approve the submission of a funding application to the Local Authority High Street Fund for £250,000 to support delivery of the Skipton Canal Waterfront (Phase 2) project.

 

 

 

Appendices – None

 

Background Documents - None

 

 

Helen Jackson

Head of Regeneration

25 February 2026

 

Note: Members are invited to contact the author in advance of the meeting with any detailed queries or questions.