New ‘mega depot’ for buses in Scarborough approved by council

The formation of a large depot with parking for 72 buses as well as workshops, offices, and provision for battery energy storage systems has been given the green light.

It follows an announcement earlier this year from East Yorkshire Buses that it plans on combining both its existing depots on Barry’s Lane and Westwood by mid-2024.

The construction of the depot on Taylor Way, off Seamer Carr Road, was approved by North Yorkshire Council on Thursday, July 27 with construction work hoped to begin this summer and expected to last for 12 months.

The building itself will measure 45 metres in width, 21 metres in depth and the plan includes the associated development of substations, fuel tanks, and bin stores.

The roof will have solar panels and roof lights incorporated whilst the north and south of the building will have five roller shutter doors on each side to allow the movement of vehicles within the building,

An external canopy is proposed on the west elevation of the building to house a wash area and fueling point for buses.

The Seamer and Crossgates Parish Council, the Highway Authority, and Yorkshire Water had no objections to the plan.

The council’s ecologist also had no objections subject to the inclusion of conditions stipulating the creation of a detailed “environmental management plan”.

The ecologist also noted that the bus depot’s creation would lead to “a net loss of river units due to the removal of the ditch from the site” which could be compensated with “a suitable off-site location or through an offsetting contribution”.

However, planning officers said that as biodiversity net gain will not be a mandatory requirement until November 2023, it would not be able “to secure such a contribution”.

Only one comment was received from a member of the public, a local resident who walks to work to Manor Garth next to the site, who asked that “insufficient lighting” on nearby footpaths be fixed in light of increased traffic.

The depot will also include a battery energy storage system, which will be located on the eastern part of the site and is designed to provide a “rapid response electricity supply when requested by the National Grid” with a plan to also develop greater reliance on electric buses.

The planning authority concluded that the design of the building is functional for its requirements as a bus depot and is “in keeping with other buildings within the locality” on Scarborough Business Park.

The plan was approved, subject to conditions, on Thursday, July 27.