Scarborough Dance Centre gets go-ahead to open studio at old ETW Dennis print works

Sally Beard, principal of Scarborough Dance Centre, has gained planning approval from Scarborough Council for the use of a building on the Old Print Works site in Columbus Ravine.

The studio, which will be located in one of the units to the rear of the site towards Melrose Street, will operate between 4pm and 9pm on weekdays and from 9am until 4pm on Saturdays.

The site was once home to the ETW Dennis printing firm, famous for its seaside postcards.

The application drew a number of people both supporting and opposing the plans.

Fifteen people wrote to the council asking for the plans to be refused.

Their concerns ranged from an increase in noise from the studio to fears about the number of extra vehicles in the areas around Melrose Street and Genevieve Court.

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One resident wrote: “Busy parents dropping off younger children will either pavement park, block entrances, and/or let children make the final metres alone; older participants will be running the gauntlet of what is already a badly overbooked combination.

“There will be no ‘policing’ this multi-faceted and complicated situation as the private road has multiple owners – the addition of a dance establishment would be calamitous.”

In response the dance school said in its submission to the council that it had never had previous issues with parking.

It said: “We are an existing dance school currently located just two streets away from the new unit on Melrose Street. We have been running for 15 years alongside other commercial premises and local residents.

“During this time (we have never had any parking in close proximity to the school.

“This hasn’t ever caused an issue for the parents and students visiting the school and more importantly, we have never posed a risk or inconvenience to local residents or businesses operating close by.”

A further 15 letters of support for the business were also sent to the council.

The authority’s planning officers granted permission for the business to operate out of the unit under delegated powers.