Plans to turn a former hotel car park in a prime area of Scarborough into a temporary public car park have been officially rejected by the council.
National Car Parks Ltd’s proposal to turn a former hotel car park in Scarborough’s North Bay into a public car park for up to three years has been refused by North Yorkshire Council.
The car park had been operating without permission since May last year, planners said, and added that approving the scheme would disincentivise the permanent redevelopment of the site.
An additional “layer of uncertainty” was added by the applicant, NCP Ltd, going into administration earlier this month.
Officers said:
Essentially, the car park has been operating as a public car park for a period and there is no evidence that a long-term solution for the wider redevelopment of the problematic site has been produced.
The site, at 143 – 147 North Marine Road, would have capacity for 21 cars.
The planning application stated that the car park would have been temporary while the landowners consider the building’s future.
A planning report notes:
The hotel is in a prime location, walkable to Scarborough’s popular North Bay area and nearby attractions such as the Open Air Theatre.
Likewise, there is no evidence presented as to why the site cannot reasonably be brought back into holiday accommodation use, and an approval of a public car park does not serve in the interests of this.
Planning officers said the former hotel building had fallen into a poor state of repair internally and externally, and the council’s enforcement and housing standards had been aware of the building’s issue “for a while and have been taking action in an attempt to remedy the ongoing problems”.
Eight individual objections were submitted to the planning authority, as well as a letter opposing the scheme, which was signed by 16 residents of a nearby residential block of flats.
One neighbour, Wayne Thompson, said:
As the owner of one of the adjoining properties, I must object to the proposal on multiple grounds.
It does not bring any opportunities or support to the local area or economy. It also seems to actively avoid mentioning the building associated with the site, which has been derelict for a very long time, with no plans being submitted by the current owner regarding any short-term or long-term plans for the site.
Officers said there was “no evidence that the use has been abandoned, and the car park/site is therefore still directly associated with the former hotel.”
They added:
It is in the interest of Scarborough, the local community, and sustainable development, that the site is redeveloped for an appropriate use.
The part-retrospective planning application was refused by North Yorkshire Council on Wednesday, March 25.
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