‘Synonymous with Scarborough’: Councillors give unanimous approval to South Bay chalet rebuild plan

The block of chalets in the town’s South Bay will be rebuilt after members of the Scarborough and Whitby area planning committee unanimously approved the plans on Thursday, June 8.

Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Rich Maw, whose ward includes the South Bay chalets, said the huts had been “very much missed” and would be “welcomed by both residents and visitors to the town”.

He also commended the design for “reflecting the original huts” while adding improved facilities.

Cllr Janet Jefferson said: “I support this and I think it is an excellent development to once more enhance not only tourism but also facilities for our residents.

“Scarborough is synonymous with its chalets and this will provide an additional community facility which I’m really pleased about.”

The original block of 11 Grade-II listed ‘Spa chalets’ was demolished in 2019 following serious damage caused by two landslides in 2018 and was one of two 11-unit blocks forming a crescent beneath the Clock Café.

Since the demolition, permanent repairs have been made to the retaining structures in 2021, but the site remains an empty plinth.

The plan, submitted by Scarborough Council before it was abolished in April, proposed a “like-for-like replacement” of the block of 11 chalets sited beneath South Cliff Gardens.

The new construction is set to match the original chalets in terms of form, scale, and massing and the external materials of construction will also match the remaining units to the north.

Cllr Maw said that the council should closely monitor the existing block of chalets so that they can be preserved.

He told the committee: “Way back in 2016, cracks appeared in the path above the chalets and locals, fearing there would be a landslip, did try to warn the council at the time.

“With tons of earth crushing down on the chalets it was only a matter of time before they did give way and there was anger in the town that the council had not done more to save these historic beach huts.”

He added that “there are now cracks in the footpaths above the existing row of chalets and I know that they are currently monitored and I would hope we are keeping a close eye on them”.

Also speaking at the meeting, Cllr Subash Sharma said: “It completes the whole historic look of that area and it is to be welcomed that we’re reinstating the architectural balance of the whole area.”

The original chalets were constructed in the early 20th century and a number of images showing the original engineer’s plans for the chalets from 1912 were “an invaluable source of information in terms of creating a detailed design package that respects the original details,” according to the council’s design statement.