Filey Lifeboat Station's two-storey extension plans deferred so Scarborough Council can assess concerns

Scarborough Council’s Planning and Development Committee has voted in favour of deferring its decision-making on an application to extend the Royal National Lifeboat Institution’s station at 3 Coble Landing on Filey beach.

Members of the committee also decided to organise a visit to the site and evaluate the situation in person.

At its meeting on Thursday August 4, the committee considered the application which proposed extending the lifeboat station by 2.6 metres towards the sea, enabling the station to meet its 10-minute launch time.

However, the application, which was recommended for approval, received several objections from nearby businesses and members of the public who feared that the extension would negatively impact both pedestrian access as well as vehicle deliveries to shops on Coble Landing.

Appearing before the committee, Patrick Corrigan told councillors that if approved, the extension would negatively impact his business on Coble Landing and also limit his “prescriptive right” to walk freely on the landing.

Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Mike Cockerill said: “As I’ve previously declared, I have a personal interest in this application as I’ve supported Filey RNLI for well over 60 years.

“Therefore, I’m sure you will all understand the deep regret that I have to echo most of the concerns that have been raised by many of the people who actually work or have businesses on Coble Landing.”

He added: “We read in the report that the detrimental effect that is likely to be forced upon nearby businesses, particularly the one adjacent, is not a matter for this committee but I would suggest that it will actually decimate that business.

“Anyone who knows the situation on Coble landing, not only during the season but at other times of the year as well, understands that the route along this part of the landing is already ripe with conflict between vehicles and pedestrians.”

However, despite the concerns raised by the public, a report prepared for members of the committee states that no objections or issues were noted by the harbourmaster nor by the Highway Authority which said "the pedestrian and vehicular access to Coble landing will remain shared".

Addressing this point, the council’s report also said: "There would be a narrower route between the parked boats and the northeastern corner of the extended building but there is no obligation from a planning point of view for the applicant to maintain that.

"It would be a matter for the landowner and or harbourmaster to amend boat parking arrangements if they wished to maintain this space."

Councillors agreed to defer the decision on the application to visit the site in August and evaluate the situation in person.