Chalets will be back (but not till 2020)
Delays to plans because of listed status of buildings
Scarborough’s leaning chalets are to be replaced – but won’t be ready until January 2020.
Scarborough Council has appointed a contractor to manage the project to demolish and rebuild some of its Grade II listed beach chalets in the South Bay following a landslip.
The chalets are leaning at a 45-degree angle after a retaining wall collapsed behind them in March. At first, it was feared that a major defect in the land may have been the cause, but, following investigations, the failure of the wall
was found to be to blame. Access to the popular Clock Café, above the chalets, has also been restricted since the incident.
Cllr Mike Cockerill, the council’s cabinet member for major projects, appointed Haskoning DHV to design, project manage and supervise the works to the chalets and retaining wall.
The initial cost to the council is £78,000. Due to the complexities of getting planning permission to demolish and rebuild a listed building, it is not anticipated that the chalets will be back in place until January 2020.
Cllr Cockerill said: “When you are dealing with listed buildings there a lot of hoops to jump through. We also did not want to be doing any major works during the tourist season. If we can pull [the timescale] forward we will look to do so but I have to say it looks unlikely.” The chalets are likely to be demolished before the 2019 summer season. Investigations into the chalet collapse blamed a wetter-than-average winter for the failure of the wall.