Scarborough's Construction Skills Village to get council cash to help secure its future

The Scarborough Construction Skills Village is now in its fourth year of operation.

Run by Northern Regeneration CIC, Scarborough Borough Council and developers Kebbell Development Ltd and Keepmoat Homes, it allows students to build homes with professionals, helping to address a gap in the skilled worker market.

The latter two-parters are building more than 1,400 new homes as part of the development in Eastfield.

The skills village was being run out of temporary buildings on the site but last year planning permission was granted to create a permanent home in some derelict farm buildings on High Eastfield Farm.

However, the budget for the work has now increased and this week, Scarborough Council’s cabinet member for Inclusive Growth, Cllr Liz Colling, approved the extra funding to ensure the project did not go under.

A report prepared for Cllr Colling stated: “Final value-engineered costs for the build element were submitted in June 2020 and the total cost of the works are £100,000 higher than estimate.

"This is largely due to the need for asbestos removal and the requirement for a localised drainage system to be installed.”

In total £100,000 is being funded from the council’s Capital Contingency Reserve and £25,000 from existing South Scarborough Regeneration funds.

The report added: “If the council does not approve the additional funding there is an expectation that [York and North Yorkshire LEP and Community Led Local Development Programme] may withdraw their funding. £560,000 was awarded for the project and around £210,000 has been spent so far. If the project cannot be completed all the funds – both spent and unspent – could be withdrawn.

“If the funds are withdrawn and the project left incomplete the council will be left with an unsecured site. This site would require ongoing costs to secure and may, in the future, require additional demolition works.

“It is likely that these costs would exceed the £125,000 requested and leave the council without a newly renovated asset.”

Cllr Colling approved the extra funding to carry out the work.

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