Welcome for moves to protect historic lodge in row over sale

Londesborough Lodge, in the Crescent, was put up for sale by Scarborough Council in 2009, but was mothballed in November when the economic crisis stifled the property market.

In a bid to push the sale through the council’s Cabinet wanted to redraw a planning and design guidance that would form part of the package of information to be sent to potential developers of the site.

Councillors believe the original document, which contains advice on a range of planning issues, is too stifling, as it restricts development on adjoining parkland.

But the authority’s planning committee is refusing to back the move in a bid to protect the building, ensuring it remains at the heart of the town’s cultural quarter which also includes the Crescent Art Gallery, the Woodend Creative Industries Centre and the Valley Gardens.

Scarborough councillor Colin Challen, whose ward includes the lodge, said: “If the plans had been updated and had become what could be deemed as less vigorous, then it would have been easier to sell the property but on the other hand it would have been more difficult to protect the gardens and the quality of the area.

“It’s a slap in the face for the Cabinet because their plans to sell the building won’t have become any easier and they will have to go back to the drawing board.

“I’m pleased the planning committee weren’t willing to go along with redrawing the plans. I think it’s great news.”

Londesborough Lodge, for years the administrative seat of the authority’s tourism arm, is a Grade II listed building.

The council owns the freehold of the property, which is currently vacant, both Scarborough Museums Trust and Radio York having moved out to enable the lease to be sold.

The original planning brief states the development should fit into the existing uses and town centre setting. It has suggested a range of possible uses for the lodge such as residential, offices, hotel, health spa and medical services or a restaurant. Also on the cards could be a gallery, studios, restaurant or café, media-cum-creative user offices, workshops, or cultural retail space.

Despite the major restrictions imposed in the brief, residents have, however, hit out over the potential loss of the half acre of adjoining parkland, and raised fears its development could spoil the views of Valley Gardens, and cut off the bridge from Cliff Bridge Place.

Coun Challen believes the plans to sell the site should be thrown out all together,

He said: “It’s still very difficult to develop the site as a hotel or block of flats. The adjacent land is extremely restricted and you can’t really do anything under the existing planning guidance.

“It should be withdrawn from the market and we should look for other uses of a cultural nature. It’s not had a lot of interest, at least at a price which is good value for council tax payers.

“It would be best to develop the site in such a way that safeguards its future as part of Scarborough’s offering as a cultural destination. As it stands empty it’s costing money for security and maintenance so we should just recognise that and get on with trying to preserve the building and get people into it on a short term basis until we can put together a comprehensive plan for a cultural development of some restriction.”

Coun Challen said he was currently preparing an alternative brief for the future of the building based on arts and culture.

The lodge was built in the late 1830s as a neo-Greek two-storey villa, enlarged and improved by the first Lord of Londesborough in 1853. He is said to have entertained Edward VII there in 1871 when the existing footbridge over Vernon Road provided him with private access to the Spa Bridge and Scarborough Spa.