‘Inflationary Costs’ Holding Back Progress on Scarborough Women’s Refuge

Wednesday, 30 August 2023 06:00

By Anttoni James Numminen, Local Democracy Reporter

The construction of a women’s refuge in Scarborough is facing continued delays which the council has blamed on inflation.

The construction of a refuge for victims of domestic violence was given the go-ahead by councillors in June 2022, but more than a year later the plan appears to have stalled.

Before Scarborough Council was abolished in April, councillors were told that the developer, Beyond Housing, was facing “some viability pressures” as a result of increasing construction costs but members were assured that the project would be completed “in the fullness of time”.

The 10 units of accommodation and support services for women and children fleeing domestic violence were approved in June last year with the site – which was owned by the council – also sold to the developer Beyond Housing,

Despite the delays, North Yorkshire Council said that meeting the housing needs of victims of domestic violence was “a priority” for the authority and added that it was “looking at options” to deal with the shortfall.

North Yorkshire Council’s corporate director of community development, Nic Harne, said:

“Our partner Beyond Housing does have planning permission for the development of a refuge for victims of domestic violence.

The former Scarborough Borough Council also agreed to sell land for this purpose to Beyond Housing, who were chosen as developers for the site through a competitive process.”

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, he added:

“Unfortunately, inflationary costs have impacted the scheme.

“We are working with Beyond Housing and Homes England to look at options as to how this shortfall can be met.”

The plan for a women’s refuge in Scarborough goes back almost a decade, with 10 units of accommodation and support services for women and children approved by Scarborough Council in 2014.

However, that scheme did not go ahead and the plan was put on hold until Beyond Housing’s proposal for a refuge at the same location was approved last summer.