North Yorkshire Council

 

Report to the Corporate Director of Community Development

 

28 May 2026

 

Application for Grant Funding – Selby Park Rock and Roll Project

 

Report of the Assistant Director, Place Shaping and Growth

 

1.0       PURPOSE OF REPORT

 

1.1         To seek approval for the submission of an application for funding of £49,999 from the Corporate Director Community Development in consultation with the Assistant Director Resources.

 

 

2.0       BACKGROUND        

 

2.1       The regeneration of Selby Park is strategically important due to being the connection between the Selby Station Gateway Scheme and Selby town centre. Improvements to the Park were originally part of the Station Gateway Scheme but were substantially descoped due to budget pressures. Selby Park regeneration then became part of the Abbey Quarter programme.

 

2.2       The Abbey Quarter in Selby is a package of projects which have received £150k of feasibility funding from YNYCA’s Mayoral Investment Fund with the objective of developing schemes including Selby Park up to the capital delivery stage.

 

2.3       Phase 1 has been included on the Council’s capital plan for 2026/27 with funding drawn down from the P4G reserve as previously approved for the delivery of Towns Regeneration. The £353k scheme will include a range of improvements including essential repairs and improved leisure facilities. The allocation of this funding enables further investment to be levered in through a grant application to the mayoral Movement, Activity and Sport Fund.

 

3.0         DETAILS OF PROPOSED PROJECT

 

3.1       Selby Park Development Project has been divided into the following two elements:

 

·                Repairs and maintenance - pathways, drainage and planted areas

·                Rock and Roll - new and improved leisure facilities

 

3.2       The proposed grant application of £49,999 relates to the Rock and Roll project which has a total project cost of £228,452 (see Finance section below). The source of the proposed grant application of £49,999 is the Movement, Activity and Sport fund which utilises money from York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority but is administered by North Yorkshire Sport.

 

3.3       The Rock and Roll project has been designed by Align Property Services and will be delivered by the NYC Regeneration Team. The project will deliver the features detailed below.

 

 

 

 

 

3.4       New 9-hole crazy golf course to replace the existing mini golf which is in excess of 30 years old and has received no maintenance in recent years. It is worn, broken and lacking in the features which attract contemporary audiences. As such it no longer generates a reliable income stream for the park. The proposed replacement facility will be designed to include features which reflect Selby’s heritage and culture, whilst using robust materials with minimal maintenance requirements. As per the existing mini golf course, clubs and balls will be rented out to generate income.

 

3.5       Two climbing boulders which will be complementary in style to the crazy golf. These will be designed for unsupervised use, will be positioned upon an approved safety surface and are suitable for use by children and adults without prior climbing experience. This feature will be free to use.

 

3.6       A range of Lawn Games including Croquet, Giant Jenga, Cornhole, and Kubb. These will be rented out in order to provide an income for Selby Park but may be offered free of charge at events to attract more people.

 

3.7       Signage, seating and supplementary lighting to ensure the area is safe and comfortable.

 

4.0       CONSULTATION UNDERTAKEN AND RESPONSES

 

4.1       A two stage consultation process has been undertaken as follows:

 

Feb 2025: Stage 1 Consultation: General public

Feb 2026: Stage 2 Consultation: Young people

 

4.2       The Stage One Consultation attracted over 300 local people and various stakeholder groups. This indicated dissatisfaction with the declining state of repair of the Park and a high degree of demand for improvements to the infrastructure and leisure offer. The mini golf was identified as a previously popular feature that has grown tired and in need of updating. There was also a significant demand for more leisure facilities, especially for young people.

 

4.3       The Stage 2 Consultation involved targeted engagement sessions with local youth groups to capture the views and needs of young people in Selby. Alongside real-time planning of the Park, feedback was gathered on leisure facilities and what would encourage young people to use the Park.  There was a strong consensus that there are insufficient leisure facilities for young people in the Selby. The proposed elements of the Rock and Roll project were strongly supported.

 

4.4       Extensive consultation with relevant NYC teams and officers has happened throughout the project development including:

 

·                Parks and Countryside Services

·                Tree and Woodland Team

·                Principal Conservation Officer

·                Property Services

·                Design Hub

·                Planning Services

·                Leisure Services

·                Car Parks

·                Major Projects

·                Climate Change Business Partner

 

 

5.0       CONTRIBUTION TO COUNCIL PRIORITIES

 

5.1       Being located in Selby town centre, the proposed project aligns with the Council’s Growth Priorities (Executive, Dec 2025) - Enabling place-based investment and regeneration projects in the key urban centres of Scarborough, Harrogate and Selby.

 

5.2       By providing outdoor leisure facilities that encourage physical activity and social interaction, the proposed project will contribute to the Council’s ambition, Ensure the people of North Yorkshire are safe, healthy and living well.

 

6.0       ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED

 

6.1       Prior to the identification of the preferred solution detailed above, consideration was given to the provision of Padel courts in Selby Park. This option was included in the Stage 1 Consultation, and although popular, was ruled out on grounds that a Padel facility is being constructed elsewhere in Selby.

 

6.2       Consideration was also given to a MUGA court. This option was ruled out on grounds that it could disturb other Park users and would be more suited to a sports setting.

 

6.3       Both of the above options were also considered less favourable as they ran the risk of changing the emphasis of the Park from a communal green space to a sports facility.

 

6.4       Finally, there is an option to not submit the proposed funding application. This would result in a scaled back scheme which could still be delivered (and will be delivered if the funding application proceeds but is unsuccessful).

 

7.0       IMPACT ON OTHER SERVICES/ORGANISATIONS

 

7.1       Impact on external organisations is limited but there are implications for various Council services as listed above in the Consultation section.

 

7.2       There are no known external organisations using the current mini golf facility at Selby Park. However, the proposed project does represent an opportunity for youth and community groups to visit the Park and utilise the new facilities for minimal cost.

 

7.3       The proposed facilities will most significantly affect the Parks and Countryside service. Teams from this service including Parks and Trees have been involved throughout the development of the project and will be responsible for the operation and upkeep of the proposed facilities. The Parks and Countryside service will also benefit from the income generated by the new facilities which is confidently predicted to be well in excess of the current provision at Selby Park.

 

8.0       FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

 

8.1       The proposed grant application of £49,999 would contribute to a total project cost of £228,452. A representative of North Yorkshire Sport has been actively involved in the design of the project and has advised on consultation activities. As such there is reason to be optimistic about the grant application’s prospect of success.

 

8.2       If the grant application is unsuccessful, the project will proceed with the omission of the Climbing Boulders, using NYC funds alone. As such, the desired funds are desirable rather than essential. Utilising internal funds to lever in external grant funding will enable us to deliver more impact for NYC money.

 

 

8.3       The Selby Park Development Project has been included on the Council’s capital plan for 2026/27 with funding drawn down from the P4G reserve as previously approved for the delivery of Towns Regeneration. The on-going revenue implications have been factored into the future budgets of the Parks Commercial Team and it is expected the increased income will offset the cost of operation and maintenance of the equipment.

 

8.4       Project Budget:

 

Rock and Roll - description of works:

 

 

Climbing Boulders x 2

£50,000

 

Groundworks for boulders

£10,000

 

Replacement crazy golf course (9 holes)

£100,000

 

Lawn games

£10,000

 

Lighting repairs/replacement

£18,880

 

Seating

£3,000

 

Signage

£1,800

 

Contingency (18%)

£34,862

 

TOTAL PROJECT COST

£228,542

 

8.5       Project funding:

 

Funding:

 

 

Movement, Activity and Sport Grant

£50,000

 

NYC (Selby Park Development Project – former P4G)

£178,542

 

TOTAL

£228,542

 

9.0       LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

 

9.1       The terms of the Grant are not yet available but will be reviewed by Legal Services when released. Should any term present an unacceptable level of risk, any Grant offer in the event of a successful bid will be declined.

 

9.2       If the bid is successful, any expenditure of the Grant funding will be in accordance with the Council’s Procurement and Contract Procedure Rules, and, to the extent applicable, the Procurement Act 2023, the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and the Subsidy Control Act 2022.

 

10.0     EQUALITIES IMPLICATIONS

 

10.1     Open access facility with modest charges for certain elements. All elements designed for use without special skills or training.

 

10.2     An Equalities Impact Assessment Form (EIA) has been completed. See Appendix A.

 

10.3     Local disability organisation, Everyday Enable CIC, are involved in the project to advise on accessibility issues.

 

11.0     CLIMATE CHANGE IMPLICATIONS

 

11.1     A Climate Change Screening Form has been completed, and no significant concerns have been identified. See Appendix B.

 

 

12.0     HUMAN RESOURCES IMPLICATIONS

 

12.1     Facilities to be managed by the existing Parks team. This has been discussed and agreed with the Commercial Manager and Commercial Operations Team Leader of the Parks and Countryside Service.

 

13.0     COMMUNITY SAFETY IMPLICATIONS

 

13.1     The location of the proposed project is poorly lit. Maintenance work on the existing lighting in Selby Park is due to be completed and the project proposed budget includes provision for additional lighting to be installed.

 

13.2     All of the proposed facilities are suitable for unsupervised and untrained use. Safety guidelines will be provided by the selected suppliers. A signage budget has been allocated to ensure that these safety guidelines can be clearly displayed.

 

14.0     REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS

 

14.1     The proposed grant application will enable NYC to:

 

·                Respond to resident aspirations as articulated through the consultation events

·                Demonstrate commitment to resident health and wellbeing

·                Enable place-based investment in the priority town of Selby

           

15.0

RECOMMENDATION

 

 

i)        That the Corporate Director Community Development, in consultation with the Assistant Director Resources, approve the submission of a grant application for £49,999 for the Rock and Roll project (Selby Park) to the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Movement, Activity and Sport Fund, as administered by North Yorkshire Sport.

 

 

 

APPENDICES:

 

Appendix A – Equality Impact Assessment Form

Appendix B - Climate Change Screening Form

 

Nic Harne

Corporate Director – Community Development

County Hall

Northallerton

22 May 2026

 

Report Author – Sarah Fenwick, Principal Regeneration Officer

Presenter of Report – Sarah Fenwick, Principal Regeneration Officer

 

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