Flamingo Land at the Futurist site - a timeline of everything we know so far

Yesterday we reported that Scarborough Council could be set to abandon plans to build a theme park on the site of the former Futurist theatre in the town.

A cross-party group will now be established to look at all the options open to the council for the Futurist and town hall sites.

Flamingo Land will still be part of the negotiations going forward but it could be the end of its plans for an attraction.

The review into the council’s decision process regarding the site found that the project lacked "a clear link back to inclusive growth and expected benefits, such as better jobs, training, economic impact on the town".

Read the full story here. This is the latest in a long saga over the theme park on the site - here's a timeline of everything we know:

2014

October 21

Flamingo Land is announced as the preferred bidder for the redevelopment of Scarborough’s Futurist Theatre with the working title Flamingo Land Coast.

Details of Flamingo Land’s ideas for the site included a glass roofed botanical gardens, a roller coaster, a 55m iconic lighthouse structure and Space Shot Tower’, which propels customers 55 metres into the sky, an elevated sea view bar, restaurant and function space, a walk-through aviary and a new town square for Scarborough.

2017

January 5

Flamingo Land reveals its latest plans for the Futurist site in Scarborough’s South Bay which include live actors explaining the story of Scarborough.

The plans say the ground floor will feature an indoor play area for younger children and on the first floor there will be a 4D interactive dark ride, which will take guests on a simulated journey around the coastline where the emphasis will be on education as well as entertainment.

There will also be a junior mini-coaster and an education centre, restaurant looking out onto South Bay, roof garden with activities such as rope courses and crazy golf, walk-through aviary and white-knuckle rides including a 55 metre high Shot Tower.

January 9

Scarborough councillors vote in favour of demolishing the Futurist.

2018

January 4

The first construction vehicles moved onto the Futurist site.

2019

February 1

Flamingo Land submits initial plans to Scarborough Council for its attraction on the former Futurist site.

The plans show a four-storey building on Foreshore Road with space for attractions, education facilities, restaurants and children’s play areas as well as another building adjacent to the main area housing a "winter garden" and a viewing area.

To the rear of the main building, accessed from the roof, is a roller coaster with the cliffhanger tower, which will stand 60 metres tall.

February 2

Gordon Gibb says: "Flamingo Land is very much committed to creating a new, exciting family attraction in Scarborough and we are looking forward to sharing these plans with the public."

February 6

The Scarborough News reports on reader reaction to the unveiling of the plans.

Lynne Cooper commented on the Scarborough News Facebook page, calling it "a monstrosity in the making."

But Rob Featherstone commented: "It may look like like a white elephant now but in years to come, once Scarborough's caught up, I'm sure It will be grand and the moaners can embrace the change."

February 8

MP for Scarborough and Whitby Robert Goodwill says: "This is an opportunity that can't be missed, it will be an amazing asset and another reason for people to come to Scarborough. I'm sure that Flamingo Land, which attracts tens of thousands of visitors, will be giving out vouchers to encourage people to come here so I'm 100% behind this project."

The Scarborough MP responded to concerns over its location saying: "Should we build it out at Morrison's or at the park and ride, away from the town centre? No, it needs to be down at the seafront to drive people into town and encourage them to visit the other attractions that we have."

April 4

In a letter sent to The Scarborough News by Gordon Somerville, former head of planning at Scarborough Council, and Christopher Hall, former conservation officer at Scarborough Council, says it is one of the worst proposals in the town for decades.

May 7

New Labour leader of Scarborough Council Steve Siddons says it is time for an overhaul of the authority and a look again at some of the key decisions coming up, including its deal with Flamingo Land for the Futurist site."

July 4

Scarborough council confirm a new big wheel attraction for the site as a temporary attraction for the summer.

July 16

Cllr Siddons tells a cabinet meeting that a timetable to sign off the authority’s deal with the theme park operator Flamingo Land in the coming months was likely to be pushed back to allow for further scrutiny of the £14m scheme.

September 16

It is announced a review of Scarborough Council’s deal with Flamingo Land will be carried out by the authority’s new chief executive Michael Greene, expected to be completed by the end of the autumn.

December 26

The Scarborough News reports Cllr Siddons has revealed that "new options" for the site, whose permanent use has yet to be identified, would go before councillors in the new year.

Cllr Siddons said: ""We will work with Flamingo Land, if Flamingo Land are happy to work with us and at this stage they are, and in the new year, either January or February, we will bring a paper to Full Council that sets out some new options for that site."