Filey Town Council, businesses and residents object to planned expansion of RNLI lifeboat station

Scarborough Council’s Planning and Development Committee has been recommended to approve plans for two-storey extensions to the front, rear and side of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution’s lifeboat station in Filey.

At its meeting on Thursday August 4, the planning committee will decide whether to give the go-ahead for the extensions to the existing boathouse, built in 1990, despite numerous objections from businesses and members of the public.

Located at 3 Coble Landing on Filey beach, plans to extend the lifeboat station and relocation of the substation were submitted by Nicola Robins for the RNLI.

The front of the building would be extended 2.6m seawards and according to submitted plans, would allow the new lifeboat to be stored coupled up to the launch tractor, allowing the RNLI’s 10-minute launch target to be met.

Overall, the proposed extensions across both floors would increase internal floorspace by 120 square metres; from 209 sq. m to 329sq. m.

However, Filey Town Council has objected to the plans as it suggested that the extensions would have “adverse effects on adjacent businesses” due to a “reduction in ability to view the business”.

According to documents submitted to Scarborough Council during a consultation, the town council added that there would be “disturbance to users of the café next door due to revised pedestrian access to the boatshed” as well as highlighting “increased concerns for pedestrians due to the reduction in walkway and road, particularly at times of deliveries”.

Many of the objections submitted by members of the public echoed the same concerns.

One of the eight letters of objection submitted states that the proposed plans would have a “catastrophic impact” on businesses directly adjacent to the north of the proposed development.

The objection suggests that a “reduce[d] visual impact” would result in a “severe reduction” of customers.

Another objection submitted to the council states: “As one of many businesses on Coble Landing, I require many deliveries throughout the day and would not be able to operate without these deliveries.

“Therefore the increased quantity of the public forced onto the only access road would cause late or cancelled deliveries when large lorries and vans cannot get down to the businesses on time.”

However, despite the concerns raised by the public, no objections or issues were noted by the Highway Authority which said: “The pedestrian and vehicular access to Coble landing will remain shared.”

The Lead Local Flood Authority, Yorkshire Water, the council’s drainage engineers and environmental health team, nor the harbour master had any objections to the final plans.

There is a recommendation that Scarborough Council’s planning committee grant permission to the extensions subject to conditions and in accordance with submitted plans.