Sale and redevelopment of ‘historic’ sports and tennis centre proposed by Scarborough Council

Scarborough Council is proposing the sale and redevelopment of the former sports and tennis centre, with plans for parts of it to be converted into housing.

The plan, which will be scrutinised by councillors at a meeting on Monday, November 28, proposes that parts of the centre be taken over by Scarborough College while four tennis courts would be leased to a community trust.

According to a report prepared for the upcoming meeting of the places and futures overview and scrutiny committee, the council is seeking to “dispose of the freehold interest of 0.7ha of land comprising the listed pavilion, sports hall, squash courts, MUGA and car park to Scarborough College for the intended use of sporting, educational and boarding facilities”.

Additionally, it would lease four hard tennis courts to a community trust to operate under a community use agreement and market the remaining part of the site “for residential development that is sensitive to the location within the Weaponness conservation area”.

The site is located around 1.5km to the southeast of Scarborough town centre, between Olivers Mount to the west and Filey Road to the east.

Although the site has not been in use for several years, it was the historical home of the Yorkshire Lawn Tennis Club, later becoming the Scarborough Sports and Tennis Centre.

According to council documents, the listed pavilion is falling into a state of disrepair owing to damage caused by trespassers to the roof and the internal fabric of the building.

However, the site is said to have “considerable historic value as a reminder of the important story of sports heritage of the town… as a resort from the 18th century onwards”.

When Scarborough Council financially supported the creation of the new football ground and sports and leisure village at Weaponness Valley, the authority’s provision of resources was funded through different land sales.

The sale of the Filey Road site was incorporated as one of the enabling sites within the scheme and though “all other enabling sites have subsequently been disposed of”, Scarborough Council still has £1.8m of “outstanding finances”.

According to the report, the “achievement of a £1.8m capital receipt is therefore required” to balance current budgets.

The marketing process, which has a proposed budget of £20,000, will be “careful and considered in order to achieve a final product that is sensitive to the requirements of the site and merits the demolition of the curtilage listed grandstand”, according to the council.

The plans will need to be approved by the cabinet before they proceed.