Public consultation events are happening in Whitby on Tuesday and Thursday as part of the development of a Town Investment Plan.
The first drop-in session, will be held at Whitby Leisure Centre on Tuesday, 4 November, between 12.30pm and 3pm, to enable residents, visitors, and business owners to share their insights regarding the town’s future. A second event will take place on Thursday 6 November at Green Lane Centre from 1pm until 3pm.
The development of the TIP is being led by North Yorkshire Council as part of a comprehensive regeneration programme covering 32 towns within the county. The Council stated that these plans exist to "drive funding and positive change". By identifying "the most significant challenges and the key opportunities for each of our towns," the Council aims to "maximise its impact and steward its resources in every town across this great geography".
The project has the support of David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, and is being partially funded by the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority.
Addressing Coastal Challenges
Whitby remains one of the most popular destinations in the UK for both domestic and international visitors, according to North Yorkshire Council. However, this popularity generates "issues and challenges balancing the needs of visitors with those of residents".
Several core areas have already been identified by the Council as presenting significant challenges and opportunities for improvement:
Parking and Movement
The unique topography and history of the town heavily influence movement. The Council noted that Whitby is "heavily gradated, has vast numbers of visitors and has a historic street layout that developed organically". Consequently, the town has "not grown and is not set-up to support the movement of large numbers of vehicles".
The council says that tackling the parking issues specifically will have a "knock-on positive impact for a whole range of other challenges".
Furthermore, the River Esk, which helped bring the town its prosperity, also currently "divides the town into two distinct areas with limited movement potential between the two," according to the Council.
Housing
Affordable and high-quality housing poses a significant difficulty in areas where available land is scarce. Whitby faces an additional challenge due to its inherent appeal, being "breathtakingly beautiful and offering a high quality of life". While the Council noted that addressing this issue "may be outside the scope of this document," it confirmed that housing "will begin as a focus for investigation".
Public Input is Crucial
To ensure the investment plan accurately reflects local priorities, the Council has been encouraging public participation. The consultation seeks specific input on questions such as what locals "love about living or working in Whitby" and "What would make them even better places to live, work and explore?".
Participants are also being asked how they see the towns "evolving over the next 5 to 10 years". The Council is determined to identify the "biggest challenges and the most exciting opportunities to improve the towns, enhance the environment, and create spaces and services that benefit everyone".
Those who missed the initial drop-in session can still have their say via the Whitby Investment Plan survey page, which will remain open until Sunday 30 November 2025 at https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/town-investment-plans
Two resident drop-in engagement sessions will be held on the following dates:
- Tuesday 4 November at Whitby Leisure Centre from 12:30pm until 3pm
- Thursday 6 November at Green Lane Centre from 1pm until 3pm
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