The year-round use of a 32-metre-high Ferris wheel and an 18-hole adventure golf course in Scarborough has received unanimous approval.
Councillors on the Scarborough and Whitby Area Planning Committee have approved Observation Wheel UK’s proposal to keep its 32 metre high observation wheel and 18-hole adventure golf course on a year-round basis until autumn 2027 at Scarborough’s seafront on Foreshore Road.
The wheel was first installed in 2019 and has been limited to seasonal use from March to October at the site, which was formerly home to the Futurist Theatre.
Its continuous operation will be allowed with opening hours 11am to 9.30pm.
Speaking at the meeting, Coun Rich Maw said: “The Futurist Theatre was more than just a building, it was a part of Scarborough’s identity and it was lost to a political decision, and years later we’re still debating whether to give temporary permission for a Ferris wheel and golf course.”
The Highway Authority had raised concerns about pedestrian safety in the area and recommended that a tactile crossing adjacent to the site “should be reinstated as it is not safe to continue with the existing arrangement for a further two years.”
The crossing had been temporarily removed when the Futurist Theatre was demolished, and the HA said that “the existing crossing arrangement is prejudicial to the safety and convenience of highway users”.
At the committee meeting, several councillors said they did not want the applicant to have to pay for the crossing’s reinstatement.
Coun Derek Bastiman said: “One thing that does concern me is the condition the applicants have to return the central refuge, because when that building was demolished, it was a condition that its return was the responsibility of the borough council.”
Coun Subash Sharma concurred: “It seems unfair to me that someone who is going to be there for two years is having to pay for essential highway improvements, which I agree are necessary.”
Officers said that the cost of the works was not an issue for the committee and that the “necessity for this development, and for people to get to the development, stems from what is proposed”.
A report to the committee concluded that a temporary permission until October 2027 would be “reasonable in light of the continued economic benefit and the likely lengthy lead-in time required for the permanent regeneration of the Futurist site”.
