'Sporting excellence' bid for Scarborough is shelved as the developer, John Guthrie's family company, withdraws plans

In 2017 Scarborough Council, independent school Scarborough College and property developer Broadland Properties Ltd announced a collaboration for new sporting facilities in the Filey Road area of the town.

It was hoped it would lead to the creation of an international competition standard athletics track on the former Bramcote School playing fields to the south of the town centre, as well as six state-of-the-art tennis courts and bowling facilities nearby, on land between Deepdale Avenue and College Lane.

The scheme would have replaced the facilities that were lost when the Filey Road Sports Centre closed, the site of which would have been developed by Broadland Properties to create approximately 50 new homes and apartments.

It has now emerged that Broadland, run by millionaire John Guthrie and his family, has withdrawn the three separate planning applications that made up the scheme, sending the plans back to the drawing board.

Richard Guthrie, director of Broadland Properties Ltd, said the planning application had simply “run into the ground” though he hoped that the athletics facilities could still be salvaged.

He said: “Unfortunately, there were a number of objections to the planning application. It was a four-site planning development proposal and as a consequence, there were always going to be nuances.

“Given the objections, which included Sport England and Natural England and also issues around the Section 106 agreements, Scarborough Council’s planning officers told us they could not recommend it for approval in its current format.

“So the general scheme has fallen away, but I am still hoping to work up something on the athletics side on the Bramcote site.

“My main focus for the scheme has always been around the athletics as I think it would be what’s best for the town, school and the community.”

Scarborough Council has been approached for comment on the withdrawal.

When the scheme was announced in 2017 Scarborough Council’s then-leader, Cllr Derek Bastiman, hailed it as a new dawn for sport in the town.

He said: “We are absolutely delighted to be working with Broadland Properties and Scarborough College on the plans, which signal the start of a new legacy for sporting excellence in Scarborough.

“We admire the Guthrie family’s passion for the borough, which mirrors the council’s ambitious agenda and we can’t wait to get started on taking these plans to the next stage.

“Together with the recently opened Scarborough Sports Village and the brand new squash facilities under development at Scarborough Rugby Club, we truly believe Scarborough will become the best place in the UK, if not Europe, for sporting facilities, for the size of the town.”

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you