Historic building in Scarborough town centre saved from demolition

Cavendish And Gloucester PLC had applied to Scarborough Council to tear down and replace the four-storey Albemarle Chambers building in Westborough stating there were “concerning structural issues” with the building.

The company cited sloping floors and cracks to the interior as proof but planning officers for the borough authority are unconvinced.

Councillors had been recommended to refuse the plans with the borough council’s planning officers stating that the applicant had not done enough to make the case to raze a building to the ground in the town’s conservation area.

Scarborough Civic Society and the Victorian Society both objected to the plans and Historic England also urged the council to retain the building.

Councillors on the planning committee refused the application when they met today.

Conservative councillor David Jeffels said: “It is a landmark building, a very attractive building and we can look at the buildings we have lost in the town centre over the last 40 and 50 years and see it is important we hold onto buildings like this.”

Cllr Roberta Swiers (Con) said the proposed replacement looked like a “hideous concrete block”.