Scarborough's Kinderland, Marvel's and Atlantis Sites Identified for Redevelopment

Developers are to be urged to come forward with initial plans to transform a series of sites in Scarborough’s North Bay amid proposals to bring a wave of new investment to the seaside town.

Locations which are owned by North Yorkshire Council have been identified for potential redevelopment in the area.

The sites which have been identified include the former Atlantis Waterpark, the former Marvel’s amusement park and the land that was previously the location of the Kinderland children’s activity park.

The sites are seen as providing an ideal opportunity for future development and are aimed at bringing fresh investment to Scarborough while helping to boost the town’s vital visitor economy, which is already worth £561 million each year and employs more than 5,600 full-time staff in the area.

Members of North Yorkshire Council’s executive will consider plans on Tuesday next week (February 4) for a marketing exercise to ask developers how they would transform the locations that have been identified for investment.

The executive member for open to business, Cllr Mark Crane, whose responsibilities include economic development and the visitor economy, said:

“Scarborough is one of our most popular destinations on the coast, and we want to help ensure that there is the investment in the town to benefit both local communities and visitors alike.

“We believe these sites in the North Bay offer real potential to help to drive forward the local economy.

“We will consider the proposals carefully to ensure that any market testing attracts the right sort of developer to provide the right kind of schemes for the town.”

The other sites include land where the town’s former indoor pool was based alongside its off-street parking while there are plans to maximise the potential for footpaths that weave around the North Bay.

The Alpamare Waterpark, which North Yorkshire Council took control of in December 2023 when the previous operator went into administration, and its off-street parking have also been identified as one of the sites.

The Alpamare site is currently run by Malton-based Flamingo Land, which has signed a 12-month lease after re-opening the attraction in July last year and has expressed an interest in extending the deal for a further year.

A report to the executive has stressed that a waterpark should remain as one of the long-term attractions in the North Bay.

The proposals would see the market testing launch in the middle of next month (February) and continue for between four and six weeks. It is hoped the exercise would allow the council to engage with private developers and gain an understanding of market interest and the potential for future development for the sites.

The responses received from developers would be assessed and used to inform the council’s approach for the sites, with updates presented to elected members later this year.

The council’s deputy leader, Cllr Gareth Dadd, whose responsibilities include the authority’s finances, said:

“The North Bay area of Scarborough does provide exciting opportunities for the town, and its future development would bring benefits for both residents and visitors.

“The sites which have been identified could also have major financial benefits for the council if they are redeveloped and we will consider the options which are available for the approach to the market testing when the executive meets next week.”

The report to the executive has outlined plans to bring high quality development to create a clear identity for the North Bay area and provide a contrast to the more traditional “seaside town” nature of the resort’s South Bay.  

The ambition would be for development to complement existing attractions in the area, including the Scarborough Open Air Theatre, the North Bay Railway and Peasholm Park.

Under the plans for the market testing exercise, developers would be asked to provide a 1,000-word brief outlining projects which they have been involved in.

They would also be asked to identify the potential for the sites and whether they would be interested in taking on more than one location for redevelopment.

The market testing would ask for views on the inclusion of the Alpamare Waterpark site within the package of sites, and whether the council should also look to broaden the redevelopment plans to other locations in the town for longer-term partnerships.

The chair of the council’s Scarborough and Whitby area committee, Cllr Liz Colling, who represents the Falsgrave and Stepney division in Scarborough, said:

“This is set to be the first step in identifying potential developers for these sites which will hopefully lead to investment to benefit our local communities in the town.

“While the visitor economy is a huge part of Scarborough’s economy, we need to make sure that any development in the town is beneficial for residents too.

“This is about the future of Scarborough and potentially bringing new job opportunities and careers to the people who live here and in the surrounding area.

“This would help to ensure that the younger generations of our residents can remain in the town where they grew up and embark on a career here.”