Scarborough Borough Council

Planning committee to consider key development brief

A draft development brief which sets out the planning parameters by which an important part of Scarborough’s seafront and town centre could be regenerated, is to be considered by the borough council’s Planning and Development Committee next week (1 March).

The brief covers a large area incorporating the Futurist Theatre, King Street car park and the Town Hall. Its purpose is to generate commercial interest in the site, as well as shape the nature and type of development that would be considered acceptable. If it is approved by the committee, an eight-week public consultation period will follow.

The council’s Strategic Director, David Archer, said: “The council has recently agreed an indicative timetable for the redevelopment of the Futurist Theatre and surrounding site. It is also actively considering the feasibility of relocating its services from the Town Hall, but no decision has been made on this yet and the fact that the Town Hall has been included in the development brief should not be taken as an indication one way or another.

“The brief sets out from a planning perspective, what would be considered acceptable in particular areas, notwithstanding the fact that much of the area we are talking about is in a conservation area and contains listed buildings. Redevelopment of this area would have to take that into account.”

Included in the draft development brief are a number of ideas, which set out how the site could be developed. These envisage redevelopment of much of the site, but would see listed buildings retained. A further “do minimum” option has also been presented in the draft brief, which includes the retention of the Futurist and council offices. However, other layouts may be acceptable, assuming they meet the guidelines in the brief.

If agreed by the council, full copies of the draft development brief will be available to view on the council’s website and at both the Town Hall and Scarborough Library and Information Centre in Vernon Road. Comments will be able to be submitted via a short questionnaire on the website. Any other comments and letters will be welcomed and can be sent to Planning Services at the Town Hall. Further details of the consultation exercise will be published following next week’s meeting.

If the planning committee agrees, the council will also obtain a cross-section of views about the development brief. A representative sample of residents in the borough will be asked to complete the questionnaire as part of a focus group survey. The draft development brief will also be presented to the Town Team and other appropriate groups convened under the umbrella of Scarborough Renaissance.