Scarborough Council approves plan to bid for Government funding to transform the town centre

Scarborough has a “golden opportunity” to transform itself into the country’s best performing coastal town centre by 2025 if it can secure government funding.
Scarborough Borough Council is looking to tap into the High Streets Fund to transform the town centre.Scarborough Borough Council is looking to tap into the High Streets Fund to transform the town centre.
Scarborough Borough Council is looking to tap into the High Streets Fund to transform the town centre.

Scarborough Borough Council wants to bring the high street into the 21st Century with ideas including creating a “smart” town with wifi and 4G coverage, making use of empty units for pop-up shops, becoming a true university town and staging year-round cultural events to bring people back into Scarborough.

In order to fund the ambitious plans the authority is to bid for a share of £675million recently announced by the Government as part of its Future High Streets Fund.

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Other plans include improving the nighttime economy, increasing residential living in the town centre by 25% and establishing a small business start-up and expansion grants scheme.

Improving the environment in the town centre is also a top priority for the scheme.

Scarborough Council’s cabinet today approved the plans to start the bidding process for funding.

Cllr David Jeffels (Con) chaired the task group which compiled the report and told the cabinet it was an exciting time.

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He said: “There has been a great deal of work put into this strategy.

“I see this as a golden opportunity for Scarborough to plan its future for the next 30/40 years.

The council is also proposing to create a “Town Centre Team” which will lead on delivering the action plan supported by a new town centre delivery manager who would coordinate action.

More than 150 attended two consultation events when the action plan was being created.

The final strategy and action plan will be submitted to the Full Council in May 2019.

From there, the town centre masterplan is expected to take a year to create.