Filey Residents Asked for Regeneration Ideas

Residents and businesses in the Yorkshire coast town of Filey are being asked for their ideas on how the town should be regenerated.

The ideas will be used to develop a draft masterplan for how Filey could attract new investment in future and what the money should be spent on.

Scarborough Borough Council and Filey Town Council will work together to develop the masterplan, which will outline the town’s upcoming priorities for the next ten years.

The plan will set out how public services will be delivered locally and identify key projects, infrastructure requirements and investment opportunities.

This will include a bid to the Community Renewal Fund for £25,000, which will be used to assess the ideas from the consultation and develop proposals to be included in the draft masterplan.

Subject to further consultation, the masterplan would give a number of agreed, ‘ready to go’ schemes and initiatives, which could be taken forward on receipt of funding.

The councils will work together to identify and bid for funding opportunities that have the best chances of success, such as the post-Brexit UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

The better borough team is leading on the consultation, starting with a masterplan consultation survey during August and September for the Filey community. The team wants to ensure that the development of the masterplan is based on the needs and aspirations of local people.

Filey residents and businesses can contribute their views by completing the short survey at scarborough.gov.uk/consultation

Printed copies of the survey are available at Filey library, Filey Town Council office, Tesco and the Post Office.

The better borough team will attend community events and arrange focus groups to canvass opinions. The team has already visited Filey Food Festival and Filey in Bloom summer fête. Upcoming dates and locations are:

• Sunday 22 August, 11am to 1pm – emergency services gala day, Clarence Drive sports field
• Sunday 22 August, 2pm to 4pm – Crescent Gardens bandstand
• Thursday 26 August – U3A AGM
• Friday 27 August, 10am to 1pm – Murray Street mobile stall
• Sunday 5 September – Yorkshire Coast Super Soapbox Challenge

The consultation closes on Friday 17 September.

Work to draw up a draft masterplan for Filey will take place between September this year and March 2022.

Councillor Steve Siddons, leader of Scarborough Borough Council, said:

“We promised that Filey would receive its own masterplan. This consultation is the first important stage in making that happen.

“We want to hear what residents and businesses of Filey think would benefit and improve their town. What should the priorities be? What schemes would allow the town to thrive without detracting from its genteel nature and family friendly community?

“There is an advantage to Filey not meeting the criteria for the government’s recent Town Deal funding. It means the town is not constrained by the conditions attached to such funding that Scarborough and Whitby have to follow.

“We can start with a blank piece of paper. Regeneration doesn’t have to be limited to the immediate town centre and themes such as health and well-being, leisure, crime and anti-social behaviour can be included.

“During the next few weeks we look forward to hearing what matters the most to the Filey community and what exciting ideas they have for the future of their town.”

Councillor Jacqui Houlden-Banks, Mayor of Filey, said:

“Filey Town Council is delighted to be working with Scarborough Borough Council on this important project.

“A masterplan for Filey is vital to ensure we can move forward with momentum and improve our town for the benefit of residents, businesses and visitors. 

“Regeneration is very important to Filey Town Council and I would urge residents to complete the survey so that we can encompass their views into the future plans.”