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Economic, Regeneration Tourism and Transport
Project Development Fund |
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SECTION A – PROJECT SCOPING |
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NYC Area Constituency Committee Name |
Scarborough & Whitby |
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Project Name |
Improving Beach Access (e.g. Cayton & Gristhorpe) |
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Description of Project Location |
Beach Access points at Cayton Bay
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NYC Division(s) in which the project is located |
Cayton |
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Project Lead Officer Details |
Name |
Howard Wallis |
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Job Title |
Senior Economy & Infrastructure Officer |
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Telephone |
01653 638274 / 07587 714330 |
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1. PROJECT DETAILS |
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Please outline why the budget is required and what are the current barriers to project development it will help overcome?
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The project has been proposed by Councillor Roberta Swiers as a result of concerns about safety and accessibility of existing beach accesses in the Cayton Bay area.
There are 4 access points at Cayton Bay – as shown at Annex 1.
· Access to points A and B are are generally through National Trust Land – and are more ‘rural’ in nature. Following landslips: o the route to point A no longer follows the line of the Public Right of Way (PROW) and, although locals may still use informal route down to the beach here, there is currently no route maintained o the route to point B does not follow the legal line of the PROW but there is an alternative that forms part of the Cleveland Way on National Trust land which has been maintained by the Cleveland Way team, NYC and the National Trust. It is understood that the wooden steps here have been repaired or replaced relatively recently. · Access at point C – is via a private road down to a disused pumping station, and from there becomes an NYC owned route via a short section of tarmac path (to the Salty Dog beachfront takeaway) and then concrete steps, to a concrete platform which incorporates concrete steps onto the beach. This is not recorded as a Public Footpath. · Access at point D – is via an NYC owned concrete path from the road at the clifftop down to a concrete platform, with steel handrail and steel steps onto the beach. This is recorded as a Public Footpath.
It is understood that there has previously been an informal access route from the Cleveland Way cliff-top footpath path at Yon’s Nab which provided access to Gristhorpe Bay but, due to land slips, this route is no longer viable.
Due to the geography and geology of this section of coast, coastal erosion and landslips are prevalent. The approach to coastal management for this section of coast (set out in the Shoreline Management Plan and Filey and Cayton Bay Coastal Strategy) is generally to ‘maintain natural development of the shore’ with ‘no active intervention’.
The height and steepness of the cliffs at Cayton Bay also mean that it would be impossible to adapt existing stepped accesses to become, or introduce new accesses that are, fully accessible.
For the above reasons it is not considered appropriate to undertake the significant engineering works that would be required to introduce new access points or to make significant improvements to the accessibility of existing access points.
As stated above, routes to A and B, on National Trust land, are of a more rural nature, primarily used by people for whom uneven steps and unsurfaced paths are not a barrier. It is proposed that any improvements here should be led by the National Trust.
It is therefore proposed that this project should focus on the two NYC-owned access routes at C and D in order to maintain and extend the useful life of these two access points. Various works have been undertaken in the past to stabilize and maintain these accesses, however, they remain subject to coastal erosion and erosion from surface water run-off (which threatens to undercut the steps / platforms, making them more uneven with the potential to become a safety hazard) and so the following issues remain: · some cracks to concrete steps · both concrete platforms are badly cracked · concrete platform at point C has no edge handrail · sides of concrete platform are exposed (making them more vulnerable to erosion) · gabions previously placed at point D are collapsing and no longer providing protection. · steel steps at D are badly rusted
Recommendation: It is therefore recommended that funding is awarded to undertake the following: · Develop a specification and brief for the works · Implementation works
The project is not within the remit of the Transport Planning team and so is unlikely to secure funding for project development via this route. The Coastal Engineering Team do not currently have a budget available to undertake this work.
A project to develop the area as a Centre of Excellence for Watersports (which is likely to require, or at least benefit from, improved beach accesses) has previously been suggested in the Scarborough Blueprint and could potentially seek feasibility funding via the Long Term Plan for Towns. This is likely, however, to focus more on Town Centre interventions – at least initially.
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Please detail what specific costs the budget will be spent on?
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· Develop brief and specification for the works (costs of staff from the Coastal Engineering Team) · Contractor costs associated with implementing the following o Repairs to concrete steps and platforms o Potential installation of new handrail to platform at C o Replacement of steel steps at D o Any other measures deemed appropriate by the Coastal Engineering Team to maintain and extend the useful life of these access points (e.g. replacement gabions, protection/reinforcement to the sides/faces of the existing structures)
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Please describe the future project that this activity will help to unlock.
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The proposed project encompasses both design / specification (in house) and contractor implementation of works to maintain and extend the useful life of two important beach access points.
As it already incorporates implementation – there is no future project that it is intended to unlock. |
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2. STRATEGIC FIT |
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Detail how the project will contribute to the North Yorkshire Council ‘Council Plan’ and the Economic Growth Strategy or the Destination Management Plan
(Reference should be made on how a future project will help deliver the respective strategies)
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By ensuring the continued provision of public beach access, the project contributes towards the Council Plan as follows:
Place & Environment: · facilitating walking, surfing and other water-sports · improve the condition of existing public access routes · provide the most appropriate level of intervention to maintain beach access · prevent the need for more intrusive interventions in the future
Economy · ensure continued access to and enjoyment of North Yorkshire’s Natural Capital · support local tourism and hospitality businesses for which local beach access is a significant draw · to promote economically and environmentally sustainable tourism and sporting offer
Health & Well Being · support and encourage active and healthy lifestyles
People · To keep people safe from harm by improving safety of existing beach accesses and preventing potential for injuries.
Organisation · To ensure that services provide value for money by avoiding the need for more significant and costly interventions should the accesses deteriorate further Economic Growth Strategy · Pillar 2 – Infrastructure: o Utilise the NYC estate to deliver regeneration, place shaping and other council priorities
The Destination Management Plan has not yet been adopted – however it is understood that an overall ambition of the emerging DMP is : · “To nurture an environment in which businesses can grow, residents can feel connected to and embrace the place the live, and visitors are welcome”
Sport and Well-being – strategic objectives:
· Enabling more people to move more · Meets the needs of urban and rural communities in their local place · Provides residents access to high quality economically sustainable and carbon efficient leisure facilities · Maximises and builds on the incredible potential of North Yorkshire through its talent, natural landscapes and diversity |
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3. LOCAL FIT |
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Detail how this project meets local priorities including linkages with local regeneration plans and strategies. |
The Scarborough Blueprint (2021) – the project contributes towards the following Opportunity Projects & Initiatives by improving accessibility and facilities:
· The Bays and Beaches of South Scarborough We will support proposals to establish the bays and beaches of this area as a premier location for water sports such as surfing, and to improve accessibility and facilities.
More generally, the project contributes towards maintaining active travel (particularly walking) which is a key priority in both the Scarborough Town Investment Plan and the Scarborough Blueprint. The Scarborough TIP states:
· The town embraces active travel which is supported by a fantastic choice of green travel options.
· Physical activity is associated with overall better health. Adults are identified as being inactive if they engage in less than 30 minutes of physical activity per week. The proportion of inactive adults in Scarborough in 2019 was similar to England (19 % locally, 22% nationally), however the proportion of children in Reception who are overweight or obese in the district is significantly higher than recorded for England (28% locally, 22% nationally). Targeting obesity is a priority area for the Government as a way to decrease premature mortality and avoidable ill health and action should be taken to encourage which reduces its valence.
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4. FINANCE |
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Will the service area be making a financial contribution to the project development costs? If so, please detail.
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No budget currently identified |
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Please confirm the amount of money required.
Please provide a breakdown of costs / estimates where available and how these have been calculated.
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£20,000 - total amounts suggested for the above work by Technician Engineer Coastal Engineering, to include for:
· £500 - staff costs preparing brief / specification & managing contract · £19,500 – estimated contractor costs associated with implementation works at both access points
The project will be managed closely to avoid any overspends. If costs appear to be exceeding the funding available then value engineering will be used to ensure that the work can be delivered within budget. |
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5. DELIVERY, TIMESCALES AND MONITORING |
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What is the staffing resource within NYC required / how will it be resourced?
Has the capacity to complete the activity been confirmed with the relevant service manager?
Dependencies on other NYC services
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Technician Engineer (Coastal Engineering) to develop project brief & specification. Confirmation obtained that the project can be completed within the current financial year
Checked with Engineering and Coastal Manager – awaiting response
No dependencies on other NYC services |
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Please outline the anticipated timeframe for delivery of the activity?
Please include details of how the activity will be procured (if required).
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June 2024 – Funding Approval July 2024 – develop brief / specification August 2024 – seek quotation (from existing coastal maintenance contractor – no procurement required) Sept 2024 – start on site Nov 2024 - completion
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Can the proposed work to be funded delivered within the allocated financial year? |
The proposed work can be completed within financial year 2024/25 |
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How will progress and the outcome of the project be reported to the ACC to aid effective monitoring? |
The lead officer, or a nominated representative will provide a report, briefing note or verbal update (whichever is preferred by the committee) at ACC meetings. |
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6. BENEFITS |
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What are the benefits of undertaking this work now?
What opportunities / estimated
economic, social or environmental
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The proposed funding would be for a targeted contribution that would add value to an existing tourism asset (i.e. beach access at Cayton) to address a locally important issue by maintaining and extending their useful life.
The beach access points at Cayton Bay at points C and D are the only surfaced beach access points between South Bay at Scarborough and Filey Brigg Country Park and they serve a significant hinterland (e.g. villages of Osgodby and Cayton; Eastfield and Middle Deepdale; as well as Cayton Bay, Cliff Top, and Haven Blue Dolphin caravan & holiday parks).
Should this work not be carried out, it is expected that the action of the sea will soon mean that both accesses would become unsafe – meaning that significantly more costly works would be required in the future to maintain public access. Loss of such public access at Cayton Bay could have a significant detrimental effect upon the local tourism and hospitality businesses and associated employment opportunities.
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AREA COMMITTEE SIGN OFF |
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ACC Meeting Date When Project Scope Agreed |
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Draft Minute Number |
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Signed (ACC Chairman) |
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Date |
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