‘New vision’ sought for ex-theatre site

PLANNING: A review is set to be undertaken for a landmark location in Scarborough as a council leader admitted he is “open-minded” about the future of the seafront site which was once home to a famous theatre.

Scarborough Borough Council’s leader, Coun Steve Siddons, said he wants a “new vision” for the land.

A MAJOR review is set to be undertaken for a landmark location in the heart of Yorkshire’s most popular coastal destination as a council leader admitted he is “open-minded” about the future of the seafront site which was once home to a famous theatre.

Scarborough Borough Council’s leader, Coun Steve Siddons, claimed that he wants a “new vision” for the land in the resort’s South Bay where the Futurist

Theatre once stood, after the authority backtracked on plans for the Flamingo Land tourist attraction to build a theme park on the site.

The council’s cabinet has voted to set up a cross-party task group to examine all options following an independent review of the council’s 2014 decision to demolish the former theatre, which famously saw two performances from The Beatles in the 1960s, at a cost of more than £4m.

Flamingo Land, which operates an attraction at Kirby Misperton, will still be part of the negotiations, but the council’s decision could be the end of the plans for the development which included a 100ft-high ride, a rollercoaster, and a four-storey building housing restaurants.

Coun Siddons said an independent review he had called for into the 2014 decision had found flaws with the strategic and economic cases for the development.

He added: “I think what we need to do with this is think of the site in terms of its strategic position.

“It’s a key site for the South Bay, it links the Foreshore with the town centre and it needs to be looked at as a whole, and we need to see what we can do with the site that enhances the economic prosperity of the borough.

“I’m not going to pre-empt what those issues may be, but there is a real opportunity with the site to actually make a big difference with the way the town is perceived and what goes on there.

“I’m open-minded about what we put on the site, but it has to meet those requirements because if we don’t we lose an opportunity to do something very significant for the area. Whatever goes on the site will be there for many years to come and it needs to earn its living and make the best use of it for everyone, visitors and residents.”

Coun Siddons says he hopes the task group will set out the new vision “in the next few months”.

He added: “We recognise that Flamingo Land is the preferred bidder and they have worked with the previous administration in good faith (but) it is clear that the independent review was needed as it identified some holes in the project which need to be filled. If Flamingo Land wants to be part of delivering the vision for the borough, then we welcome those discussions.”

The council’s chief executive, Mike Greene, will be conducting a review of the council’s procedures to ensure issues with the Futurist project are not repeated.

It needs to earn its living and make the best use of it for everyone.

Coun Steve Siddons, leader of Scarborough Borough Council.