Scarborough councillors have raised concerns that the town's seaside resort status is under threat due to the rising number of HMOs and supported accommodation replacing traditional guesthouses.
Scarborough's future as a seaside resort has been questioned by councillors amid fresh concerns about the growth of HMOs and supported accommodation in parts of the town.
The debate emerged as Scarborough Town Council objected to plans to convert The Thoresby guesthouse on North Marine Road into a 10-bedroom HMO providing supported accommodation.
Speaking at a meeting of the town council on Thursday, October 22, Cllr Sarah Mason said she was concerned about the cumulative impact of guesthouses being lost from the tourism sector.
She said:
We are Scarborough, the first holiday resort, and that’s our bread and butter.
All these guest houses, we’re just getting more and more HMOs here. Are we giving up being a holiday resort? Because that’s what it appears to be to me.
At Thursday’s meeting of the planning and licensing committee, town councillors unanimously objected to the application, arguing it would add to an existing concentration of HMOs in the area and result in the loss of another tourism business.
Cllr William Stuart said the protection of visitor accommodation was one of the reasons policies had been included in the local plan.
He told the meeting:
They’re getting turned over for emergency accommodation use.
Cllr Stuart called for a “more strategic, holistic approach” from North Yorkshire Council towards HMOs and supported accommodation.
Committee chairman Cllr David Knowles also questioned the wider direction of travel.
He said:
Is this a town that’s maintaining its holiday status, or is it going to become a rehab centre for the entire county?
The discussion comes as Scarborough Town Council is pressing North Yorkshire Council to introduce an Article 4 Direction requiring formal planning permission for HMO conversions.
During the same meeting, councillors agreed to advance a proposal urging the Scarborough and Whitby Area Committee to support the measure for additional controls.
A letter prepared by the town council argues that concentrations of HMOs are increasing in some neighbourhoods and cites North Yorkshire Council data showing 115 of the 130 registered HMOs in the former Scarborough borough area are located within Scarborough itself.
Supporters of the Thoresby proposal have argued the development would provide supported accommodation for vulnerable people and help residents move towards independent living.
Planning documents state the scheme would offer a “safe, stable place to live” while helping residents develop the skills and confidence needed to sustain future accommodation.
North Yorkshire Council has not set a date for deciding on the planning application.
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