Scarborough North Bay Hotel to Become Flats

Friday, 14 February 2025 06:00

By Anttoni James Numminen, Local Democracy Reporter

A hotel in Scarborough’s North Bay will be converted into nine flats following the approval of plans by North Yorkshire Council.

The Philmore Hotel on 126 Columbus Ravine will become residential flats as part of proposals submitted by Thomas Atkinson.

The period property, which is owned and has been run as a hotel by the current operators for 49 years, has 15 rooms which will become eight one-bed flats and one three-bed flat.

The hotel has ceased trading due to the current owner’s retirement and the business has become increasingly unviable because of a “natural decline in the original clientèle” and altering tourism trends, according to submitted plans.

Officers said that despite being a “well-maintained premises”, the hotel would require “considerable investment to meet today’s standards and compete against purpose-built visitor accommodation, which along with the current economic climate, the hotel is financially becoming harder to maintain”.

No objections were made by the Highway Authority, the council’s tourism services, and no comments were received from residents.

NYC’s environmental services recommended conditions to ensure a suitable “scheme of sound insulation takes place in accordance with building regulation standards” and that the hours of construction are restricted in the interests of neighbours.

However, planning officers disagreed and said that as they were not a planning matter, the conditions would be “unduly onerous and would introduce unnecessary delay”.

There are five car parking spaces which are set to be retained while a rear part of the ground floor will be used as a cycle storage area, providing space for 10 bicycles.

The council concluded that despite the loss of a tourism facility, converting the property into flats would result in the property being used all year round.

Officers said it would “generate more life into the property and give more to the economy with permanent residents”.

The application was approved by North Yorkshire Council subject to conditions on bin and bicycle storage as well as changes to the façade.

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