Issue - meetings

Scarborough North Bay Development

Recommendations

For the Executive to:

i. approve the objectives of the Soft Market Testing exercise for Scarborough North Bay (Section 5.2)

ii. approve that officers launch soft market testing for Scarborough North Bay;

iii. approve the inclusion of sites 1 to 6 within the scope of the North Bay Soft Market Testing exercise:

Site 1: North Bay Gateway – Formerly Atlantis Waterpark

Site 2: Scarborough Heights – Formerly Marvel’s amusement park

Site 3: Northstead Gardens – Formally Kinderland

Site 4: Former Indoor Pool & Off-street Car Parking

Site 5: Alpamare Waterpark & Off-street Car Parking

Site 6: Footpaths

iv. note that the outcome of the soft market testing exercise will inform future proposals for the North Bay sites.

Minutes:

Considered a report of the Corporate Director of Resources and Corporate Director of Community Development in respect of a proposed soft market testing exercise to inform future proposals for undeveloped land at Scarborough’s North Bay and the Alpamare waterpark, which were all in the council’s ownership. Introducing this item, the Executive Member for Open to Business, Councillor Mark Crane welcomed the report which proposed to seek from the market suggestions of how to enhance this attractive part of Scarborough which held great potential for the benefit of the town and wider area. Local member, Councillor Liz Colling then addressed the meeting welcoming the Soft Market Testing exercise but questioning how the interests of residents and sustainable development would be factored into the proposals. Local member, Councillor Rich Maw expressed concern that the proposals largely ignored the extensive work and public consultation in respect of the site undertaken by Scarborough Borough Council, and instead should be set clearly within this strategic context. He also felt that seeking developers’ views on a wider package of development sites in the town may not be in the best interests of those other sites. In reply to these and other comments it was established that:

· The interests of residents were referred to in the documents for the soft market testing exercise

· Planning policy and the local plan would ensure any future development was sustainable

· The proposals in the report were to test and explore the market. When considering the market’s response, then the council would have to weigh up the usual social, environmental and economic factors

· There were many steps to take before any commercial decision was made

· The exercise was not about disposing of the council’s assets but about making the best use of them for the benefit of Scarborough

· In respect of the ongoing operation of the Waterpark, the original agreement with Flamingo Land gave the Council the ability to extend the contract for another year on the same terms

Resolved (unanimously) that the Executive: