Otley Riverside Centre, café and car park plans unveiled to provide community riverside facilities on old Auction Mart site

Exciting plans have been unveiled for a new riverside visitor centre, café and public toilets and car park in Otley on the site of the old Bridge End Auction Mart.  This exciting proposal would benefit the community of Otley and also be a new attraction to visitors, to boost the local economy and is supported by Otley Chamber and Otley Bid and businesses in Otley. The plans are supported by Otley Chamber of Trade and Otley Bid as well as local businesses.

The new centre would focus on the history and ecology of Otley’s important riverside and the new carpark would provide much needed additional car parking spaces to serve the riverside, the boats and Wharfemeadows Park and also the town centre, allowing access without needing to travel over the bridge. The streets around the riverside and Wharfemeadows Park get overcrowded in summer and school holidays. The site would also ensure permanent access for Otley Show and Otley Carnival, both of which rely on hardstanding surface/car park for vehicles and access. The site is also near one end of the Six Dales Trail and the café would be made cycling and walking friending, as well as attracting visitors to the riverside and park. 

The proposal would resolve the future of the currently empty and unused brownfield site, which was occupied by buildings at the heart of the community’s economic life until 2002, but which has since has an uncertain future. The Bridge End site was derelict for several years, following the closure of the historic Auction Mark in 2002. The site was threatened with housing development, something strongly opposed by the local community and local councillors.

The plans are being put forward by local family, the Houldsworths, with Richard, Mathew and Amy coordinating the project. The Houldsworths bought the site in 2014 to secure the future of the site for the community and to open up the possibility of delivering a new visitor centre and café. In 2017, the Houldsworths cleared 800 tonnes of concrete to tidy up the site. As well as being an eyesore, the concrete base of the old auction market was restricting access. The work was welcomed by Otley Show and Otley Carnival with the site being so important to both events. 

Amy, Mathew and Richard Houldsworth at the Bridge end site.
Amy, Mathew and Richard Houldsworth at the Bridge end site.

The whole proposal has been designed to work and on the Otley Flood Alleviation Scheme and would not impact the land. The visitor centre would be constructed on stilts to enable flood waters to flow freely underneath in line with the new flood alleviation scheme. In addition, the operation of the car park would be aligned with the Environment Agency’s local flood warning arrangements with the car park is closed and vehicles subject to removal in the event of flood warnings.

Key features of the proposal

  • A new riverside fully accessible visitor centre celebrating the history and ecology of the Otley riverside site.
  • A new accessible café facility, with facilities for families, walkers, cyclists, motorcyclists – bringing back the role that Dunnies once did. 
  • Much needed toilets for the riverside area.
  • Parking for the riverside area/Wharfemeadows Park to relieve parking on streets adjacent to the park and town centre car parks.
  • Provision of a new community venue that can be used for community events in the evening.
  • The whole site would be landscaped and would maintain the stunning views towards Ilkley Moor.
  • Will work on and alongside Otley’s flood defences.
  • Delivers the Otley Neighbourhood Plan, which states that this site ‘presents an opportunity for leisure and community uses, including outdoor pursuit facilities, as well as food and drink (where ancillary to primary uses)’.

This is a unique opportunity to finally deliver on the town’s riverside vision – and with the support of local people and organisations, can be delivered.

This proposal doesn’t need any Council/taxpayers’ money or crowdfunding – it just needs permission from Leeds City Council and approval from the Environment Agency.

Now the hope is that, working with local organisations and representatives, Leeds City Council and the Environment Agency, the exciting proposal for the riverside visitor centre will get the go ahead, to ensure the site is permanently used to the benefit of Otley residents and visitors.

Amy Houldsworth said:

“There’s a unique opportunity to deliver a riverside visitor centre, café and carpark for Otley on the site of the old Bridge End Auction mart. The centre, which will focus on the history and ecology of Otley’s important riverside would be create a new attraction for locals and visitors and with the café and carpark will provide a boost to Otley’s economy and we’re delighted it has the support of Otley Chamber of Trade and Otley Bid. 

“This exciting proposal would resolve the future for the old Bridge End Auction Mart site, which is a brownfield site and secure it permanently for the Otley community as well as fulfilling its important role as access for Otley Show”.    

Richard Houldsworth said:

“We purchased this important site for the community when it had been threatened with housing development and have since spent a considerable amount of money tidying up the site.

“We have designed the plan specifically to work on and with the flood defences and would have no impact on them on the land. The proposal recognises the importance of the site position in the functional floodplain, whilst bringing the site back into community use in line with its history for over 100 years. We look forward to working with local representatives to deliver this for the people of Otley”.

Tom Hatley of Otley BID said:

“Otley Business Improvement District (BID) fully support the proposed redevelopment of the former Bridge End Auction Mart site. A visitor centre would provide a clear focal point for coach tours and day visitors to park and explore the riverside amenities, as well as the town centre. It would encourage more people to visit Otley which would only be of benefit to our town’s businesses and the local economy. Otley’s residents would see huge benefits too as currently there is a severe lack of parking and clean, modern toilet facilities by the riverside, which this scheme would deliver. A car park at Bridge End would also provide residents north of the river with the option to park and walk into the town centre, reducing traffic congestion and pollution.

“It’s a challenging time for Otley’s businesses and local council resources are very stretched. We need local private investment and schemes like this one to enhance and progress our town. We encourage Leeds City Council and the Environment Agency to work with the Houldsworth Family and find a way to deliver this scheme”.