North Yorkshire Council approves repairs at ‘historic’ Filey Station despite concerns about ‘detrimental impact’ on appearance
Filey Station is to undergo a set of extensive repairs despite concerns they will have a “detrimental impact” on its appearance.
Filey’s Grade-II* listed railway station will see repairs carried out to its front entrance, rainwater collection system, and various stone, plaster, and timber repairs.
Repairs will also target the trainshed roof, including the replacement of the roof lantern, and works to the lower roofs.
North Yorkshire Council said that the scheme was required to address “areas of decay” and to ensure the site continues to operate as a station, but concerns have been raised about the scale of works and materials set to be used.
As a result, some works were omitted from the scheme, according to a planning report.
However, while the refurbishment involves “like-for-like repairs, some of the works propose replacement with modern materials”.
Historic England said it was particularly concerned about the replacement of the trainshed lantern with a polycarbonate alternative.
The public body suggested that the replacement would have “a detrimental impact on the building’s appearance and a negative impact on the spatial qualities of the station interior”.
Planning officers at North Yorkshire Council defended the plans, stating that “these interventions are required to extend the life of the station and prevent further deterioration of the historic building fabric”.
Railway Heritage Trust also said it “fully supports” the preservation of the “historic structure”.
“Filey Station continues to operate as part of the modern railway, in which case the risk of accidents to passengers and staff must be reduced,” it noted.
The trust added that the repairs would make the station more attractive for passengers and the ancillary commercial activities within it, which help to sustain its future and said it supported the use of polycarbonate for the lantern replacement.
“New materials, if indetectable by the average person, are an appropriate response to reduce the requirement for future maintenance,” it said.
Filey Station was built by the York and Midland Railway to the designs of G T Andrews and the first train ran from Seamer in October 1846.
A planning report said: “The station has long been a gateway for passengers and tourists arriving at the seaside town for day trips and holidays and for this reason, the listed station has communal value.”