Council outlines £4m Futurist demolition plan

Ahead of the full council meeting on January 9 the council has outlined that it wishes to employ Willmott Dixon to carry out the work, which comes to £3.988 million.

The council wants to clear the land in order to allow Flamingo Land to build an attraction on the space but due to the unstable nature of the cliff behind the building major works are needed to make it safe.

The report states:

"As it is known that the demolition of the Futurist Buildings in isolation will trigger instability in the slope above, the method of demolition is critical.

"Willmott Dixon’s feasibility study proposes to remove the mass of the slope by excavating 4m deep within King Street car park to create a development platform, and then a second slope at 45 degrees to form a lower development platform.

"It is assumed the material removed is taken off-site to be stored or disposed of with it being likely to be classified as non-hazardous waste.

"The slope is then regraded to a profile of no steeper than 27 degree angle of repose.

"At the bottom of the slope the existing retaining walls to the rear of the Futurist Buildings are retained.

"The removal of the mass from the upper slope allows the first phase of the safe demolition of the buildings with the additional retaining walls not being required until after that first phase of demolition.

"Strip out of soft fixtures and fittings and removal of asbestos can take place through the front of the building.

"The completion of the careful demolition by hand and machine of the rear of the building can then safely take place until the majority of the building is removed.

"New concrete retaining walls, 4m high are then constructed within the footprint of the existing building with the walls supported on concrete piled foundations."

Campaigners are fighting to save the building and have called for a recorded vote at the Full Council meeting so the people of the town know how their councillor voted.

A Scarborough Council spokesman said: "The report, which will be debated at a Full Council meeting of Scarborough Borough Council on Monday January 9, asks councillors whether they wish to support the allocation of funding for the demolition of the Futurist theatre and associated stabilisation of the adjacent cliff.

"The report to Full Council is a culmination of extensive reporting, engagement and decision making over many years, including an in depth scrutiny review process in 2010."

At 7pm on January 5, Save the Futurist are holding a public meeting at Scarborough’s YMCA Theatre.

Organiser Patricia David said: “Please attend and have your say on the future of our Futurist.

“Following the success of our November meeting, which saw a capacity audience of almost 300 and a Facebook Live video stream reaching almost 19,000 people, we can clearly demonstrate the huge weight of public support for the Futurist.

“Please also attend the council meeting at Scarborough Town Hall on January 9. Details can be obtained by contacting Scarborough Borough Council on (01723) 232323.”