Otley Riverside Visitor Centre New Plans Unveiled After Flood Defence Work

A group made new plans after talking with the Environment Agency. The plans improve flood protection and add new features to the site. In November 2023, they first shared their idea. It included a visitor center, café, toilets, and a car park. This would be on the old Bridge End Auction Mart site.

The group says the updated plans hold more flood water. The Environment Agency asked for these changes after flood defense work. They moved the visitor center and car park locations. Now they work better with Otley’s flood defense. They also overlook the water meadow.

These plans add a pond for wildlife. This pond will store extra flood water. It makes a vital wetland area, too. The Houldsworth family leads these plans. Otley Chamber of Trade and Otley Bid support them.

Richard Houldsworth is happy with the revised plan. It works well with the Otley flood plan. It also creates an appealing site. He hopes local leaders will support the plans. These deliver Otley’s plans for the riverside.

Using the site for parking would be wasteful. He hopes the council will back their vision. He wants to work together to help the town. One plan involves a riverside visitor center. This celebrates the Otley riverside and its nature. It will overlook the water meadow.

The center has a café, toilets, and space for the community. It could open daily, plus during showground events. The building would sit on stilts. The other plan includes a “Dutch barn” structure. This would cover an outdoor seating area. Mobile units would hold the café and toilets.

The mobile units could move during floods. The barn would be open with weather boarding above flood level. Both options add tourist appeal. They replace the Dunnies café, lost earlier.

Each plan provides a car park with 90 spaces. It serves visitors to Wharfemeadows Park with its lack of parking. A coach drop-off area is also planned. The project needs no taxpayer money or crowdfunding. They only need permission from Leeds City Council. They also need approval from the Environment Agency.

Since 2013, land revenue went to different charities. Last year, the Houldsworths gave £10,000 to charities. It came from temporary parking revenue. They gave £2,500 to several groups. These included the local NHS and Martin House.

The plan fixes the empty brownfield site’s future. Buildings stood here at community’s heart until 2002. The Bridge End site was unused after 2002.