Marine Residence Hotel: Council proposes demolition of hotel damaged in fire

North Yorkshire Council is seeking permission to demolish the “structurally unsafe” building on Belmont Road which is “past the point of rescue”.

It was seriously damaged in a fire in July which followed an earlier blaze in December 2022.

Plans submitted by North Yorkshire Council state that the former hotel’s roof and top floor were completely destroyed in the fire together with substantial damage to the two floors immediately below.

The building is currently “a threat to public safety and has resulted in widespread disruption to the town’s residents due to the need to close nearby streets”.

The hotel, which shut down in 2020, was called the Granville Lodge Hotel before being branded as the Marine Residence Hotel.

An expert report commissioned by the authority has concluded that the severity of the fire and the intense heat generated during the blaze mean that the building is not capable of being renovated or saved for the future.

The council has concluded that “full demolition is the only viable and safe option” for the Victorian property which was originally constructed as three large townhouses in c. 1875.

The unsafe nature of the building has also led to disruption owing to the closure of Lower Ramshill Road and Belmont Road.

Earlier this month, North Yorkshire Council said it was “working on designs to open the downhill lane of Ramshill Road as quickly as possible” with a plan to reopen by the end of October.

A council impact report said that one of the biggest issues of concern regarding demolition was the building’s presence within Scarborough’s conservation area and the effects of demolition on nearby heritage assets.

The former hotel is located adjacent to the Grade II Valley Garden and South Park Gardens.

However, the report has concluded that “public benefits exist to outweigh the limited, identified harm”.

The report added: “It is at risk of collapse and action to resolve this threat to public safety needs to be taken.”

The plan, which is currently pending consideration with the planning authority, also proposes the erection of a perimeter hoarding.