Agreement reached on new wildlife reserve near Scarborough - but it won't open to the public

A contentious plan to expand a holiday village into an ecological habitat can now get under way after the applicant and Scarborough Council signed an agreement to create a new meadow for wildlife elsewhere in the borough.
The agreement means The Bay can expand, with 75 new lodges.The agreement means The Bay can expand, with 75 new lodges.
The agreement means The Bay can expand, with 75 new lodges.

More than 130 people objected to the plans from Essential Vivendi Ltd to build 75 holiday lodges at The Bay in Filey back in October 2018.

Scarborough Borough Council had previously refused the company permission for 116 lodges on the site, which serves as a nature reserve for The Bay and open area for the residents.

The applicant appealed the decision and lost.

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However, the council’s planning committee granted approval for the smaller scheme after the applicant agreed to create a meadow for birds, bats and great crested newts in nearby Flixton to offset the loss of land at The Bay.

Even then the granting of permission was by the narrowest of margins.

Following a tied vote of seven and seven the planning committee chairman, Cllr Phil Trumper (Con), exercised his power to break the deadlock and voted again to approve the scheme.

This week, Essential Vivendi Ltd and Scarborough Council signed the Section 106 Agreement to create the new wildlife reserve.

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Under the terms of the agreement, the reserve must be completed before work can commence on the new holiday lodges.

The replacement meadow will be created beside the A1039 Main Street in Flixton, though it will not be open to the public.

Essential Vivendi Ltd and Essential Vivendi Flixton Ltd also agreed as part of the Section 106 document to maintain the meadow in perpetuity.