Grand design for Flamborough coastguard station needs bird-friendly glass

East Riding Council officers are recommending the green light is given to proposals to convert the disused station, on Lighthouse Road, Flamborough into a stunning holiday home at a meeting next week.

But they have taken note of concerns that mirrored glass could present a hazard to birds.

One objector raised concerns that birds travelling on the internationally recognised migration flyway past the headland could run into the glazed building.

In a letter he said: “A similar building built in a similar location using mirrored glass killed over 300 birds in one night alone.”

Planners say they consider it a “high quality” design and a “positive reuse” of the site, but add: “The council’s conservation officer has sought a condition for bird protection glass to be installed in the dwelling and this is considered reasonable and necessary given the comments received and the location of the site in a valued wildlife area.”

The plans involve removing most of the existing building and keeping the walls on three sides.

Extra upper floor structures have also been removed, bar railings.

The property was built in 1940 and was part of a row of coastguard cottages, before being upgraded into a coastguard station.

It was bought by businessman Zahid Iqbal at auction in London for £170,000 last year.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency sold it after making it redundant when it transferred operations to Bridlington.