Seaside town lacks infrastructure to support 1,500 new homes, mayor warns

AN EAST Coast resort lacks the jobs and infrastucture needed to support 1,500 new homes, its mayor has warned.

A draft council masterplan could be published as early as next month, outlining plans to create a huge new development alongside Scarborough Road and Bempton Lane, in Bridlington, with a link road between the two.

But Mayor Coun Liam Dealtry was amazed by the plans, following the loss of jobs and essential services in recent years.

It comes as one of its biggest employers, Britax, is relocating to Leeds, after more than 50 years manufacturing there.

Explaining its reasons last October its parent company said the town lacked “key facilities” for future growth.

Coun Dealtry said: “I just don’t know where they can imagine that they can muster up the jobs these people need. It’s beyond me. We don’t have enough services – we have a part-time police station and a retained fire service. We have gone from three hospitals to one that’s not fit for purpose. We need better road and rail links to attract more companies.”

More than 93 per cent of the site is greenfield. The small fraction of brownfield forms part of an existing industrial estate on Pinfold Lane.

Around 15 per cent of the land is owned by East Riding Council, with the rest in private hands. The council said work was underway to deliver the town centre “action plan” including improvements to the road network and better visitor facilities, including the new Leisure Centre, which should create new business opportunities and help existing firms.

It added: “The approximately 1,500 homes proposed will help deliver housing growth and diversify the workforce of the town to help drive economic growth.”

If agreed by the council’s Cabinet next week, there will be a sixweek public consultation. A final masterplan – which will be used to decide on future planning applications for the site – should be signed off by the end of the year.