Plans for extension and cafe at Whitby's Eastside Community Centre approved by council

The plans for the erection of the single-storey extension to the Whitby-based community centre were approved by Scarborough Council on July 21.

Submitted by Sandra Turner on behalf of Eastside Community Centre at Abbots Road, the project will see the erection of an 18m extension to the side of the community centre.

According to the submitted documents, the new floor space will accommodate a café, as well as a meeting room and a lobby.

The site also benefits from a car park to the immediate west of the proposed development as well as comprising a large single-storey building adjacent to a recreational field in Whitby.

There is currently another development on-going to the east of the site, as the council recently approved plans for a new boxing club in the vicinity of the community centre.

There were no objections from members of the public or the council’s environmental health team.

Originally, the Highway Authority was concerned about whether the parking area would be large enough for both the community centre and the proposed boxing club.

However, there is an “understanding” that although events by the community centre may attract “a significant amount of parking”, this will take place during the day and most events organised by the boxing club will be held in the evenings.

A report by the council also suggests that there was some ambiguity regarding Whitby Town Council’s support for the development.

Though the report states that the town council “supports this application”, it also says: “The formal response as published states that the Town Council ‘objects’ to the proposal, however, the comments section states that the council ‘support the application’.”

It adds: “An attempt to clarify this position has been made, but an automated correspondence has been received to state that the clerk is on annual leave.”

The application was approved subject to conditions.