Scarborough’s £140m hope for future poised to move one step closer

Plans for the next stage of a £140m regeneration project in one of Yorkshire’s top seaside resorts are set to go before planners next month in what has been dubbed “the most significant redevelopment of Scarborough in recent times”.

A waterpark, 163 holiday homes and a family restaurant will be built on the former Kinderland and Mr Marvels sites in the town’s North Bay if proposals for the latest Sands Project development are given the go-ahead.

Head of tourism and culture at Scarborough Borough Council Brian Bennett, said he was delighted the project was back on track after plans were shelved as a result of the recession. He said: “It’s good news for tourism, particularly in relation to the development of an indoor water park. There’s no doubt about it, it will be a facility that will be a major tourism attraction all year round, which is important because, along with Welcome to Yorkshire, we want to increase visitor numbers in the off-peak season.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I would say it’s the most significant redevelopment in Scarborough of recent times. It has a mixture of leisure facilities along with holiday accommodation and when combined with the Sands Project’s existing facilities, such as the Open Air Theatre and beach chalets, it creates a self contained area for tourism on the North Bay.”

The scheme is at pre-application stage. Developers Benchmark Leisure are due to present the proposals to Scarborough Borough Council at a public meeting at the Royal Hall on August 25. It is expected that the actual planning application will be submitted formally in September when there will be an opportunity for people to comment.

Once popular tourist attractions, the former Kinderland and Mr Marvels sites have remained derelict for many years.

Thirty-nine holiday Forest Lodges will be built on the Kinderland site, while the Bayview Holiday Home Village will have 124 holiday homes on the Mr Marvels site. The complex will include a mix of 30 apartments and 94 town houses. The neighbouring water park will feature an indoor wave pool, a children’s pool, a tornado water slide, an outdoor family pool and a lazy river, as well as a spa.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mr Bennett said the development would provide a further boost to the town’s economy.

“We have just finished the £6.5m refurbishment of the Spa complex and we are a council that is seeing significant development in times when things have been hard economically,” he said.

The saga over the resort’s North Bay has dragged on for more than 12 years after the previous Zenith Project, involving creating a futuristic domed entertainment complex, failed to get off the drawing board.

The more modest Sands Project fared better – creating a number of new facilities, including a Beach Management Centre – before the collapse of the housing market hit sales of the seafront apartments needed to pay for the rest of the scheme.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Benchmark was bought out by property developer Roland Duce in June last year and a new masterplan presented to councillors in March. They agreed to extend the company’s existing development agreement, which was due to expire in June.

Coun David Jeffels, Scarborough Council’s Cabinet member for tourism and culture, said: “It’s very exciting and encouraging that we are seeing applications of this magnitude coming forward at a time when there’s a recession.”