North Yorkshire Council says a call for developers to come forward with ideas for vacant sites in Scarborough's North Bay is not about making money from selling land.
That's the reassurance from North Yorkshire Council leaders who have this week backed a "soft market testing exercise" that is inviting private firms to come up with ideas for the Atlantis, Marvel's and Kinderland sites.
Scarborough Councillor, Rich Maw, has expressed concerns over the plan. He says the proposal largely ignores extensive consultations carried out by the former Scarborough Borough Council with residents and local businesses.
Councillor Maw is worried the exercise is being driven by potential financial gains for the council, he wants the idea to be reconsidered.
The Council's Executive member for Businesses - Councillor Mark Crane - says the council is motivated by improving the area and not by financial gain.
Sites including the former Atlantis Waterpark and Marvel’s amusement park, the former Indoor Pool, the Northstead Gardens, and Alpamare waterpark, could be redeveloped to boost the local economy as part of plans approved by council bosses on Tuesday.
North Yorkshire Council’s executive committee said that the ‘soft market testing exercise’ would canvas interest and suggestions from the private sector for redeveloping the sites.
It is a scheme which the authority hopes could bring “significant financial returns”
Councillor Simon Myers says any decision about what will actually happen to any of the sites would be made by the council and he is keen that existing assets like Peasholm Park and the Open Air Theatre are not harmed by any future development of other sites.
The objectives of the soft market testing exercise are:
- To deliver a viable long-term development, which enables effective cross-subsidising of sites and maximises economic benefits for the local area, while delivering significant financial returns to the council.
- To utilise North Bay’s natural capital and promote high-quality development to create an identity for the North Bay area, providing a contrast to the South Bay.
- To deliver development that is complementary to existing uses, such as the Open-Air Theatre, North Bay Railway, and Peasholm Park.
- To drive economic benefit through development that supports the visitor offering of Scarborough and the wider area.
- To continue the operation of a water park as one of the long-term attractions in the North Bay area.
The sites included in the soft market testing exercise are:
- Site 1: North Bay Gateway – Formerly Atlantis Waterpark
- Site 2: Scarborough Heights – Formerly Marvel’s amusement park
- Site 3: Northstead Gardens – Formally Kinderland
- Site 4: Former Indoor Pool & Off-street Car Parking
- Site 5: Alpamare Waterpark & Off-street Car Parking
- Site 6: Footpaths
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