‘Stressed and anxious’ residents have hit out at plans to build a major retail centre near a calm and quiet North Yorkshire neighbourhood.
Plans to construct shops, pharmacies and restaurants at Filey Road in Scarborough have been met with dozens of objections and concerns from a residents’ association that the development would impact their calm way of life.
The scheme would see the extension of Scarborough’s current park and ride facility, the creation of two new roundabouts, and the construction of an internal access road.
No date has been set yet for the council to decide on the plans, submitted by Cliff Court Developments Ltd, which include a supermarket, cafes, petrol station, and a tanning salon.
Wheatcroft residents have been “deeply worried” about the planned commercial and retail proposals for the site for almost a year, and many have suffered a great deal of stress and anxiety as a result, according to Chris Baxter, chair of the Wheatcroft Residents Association.
He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “The development may introduce a significant and continuous source of commercial and industrial noise in an area that is currently relatively quiet, particularly at night and early morning.
“The unique topography of this land provides a natural ‘amphitheatre’ which amplifies noises from the Middle Deepdale development, which can be continuously heard during the day.”
More than 100 residents attended an emergency meeting earlier this spring, where 80 per cent of households said they were against the scheme, Mr Baxter added.
Concerns have been raised about the urbanising effect of the plan on a “semi-rural edge landscape”, the impact of 24/7 commercial activity in a “currently quiet semi-rural residential setting”, traffic levels, and noise and disturbance from construction.
Members of Scarborough Town Council, as well as residents, have warned of the consequences of a new retail park on town centre businesses.
At a meeting earlier this year, Scarborough town councillor William Stuart said out-of-town developments could create “damaging effects on the footfall and viability of our town centre”.
Cllr Stuart said: “This site, initially suggested for a hotel and drive-through food development, has now evolved into an alternative town centre. What worries me further is the developer’s vagueness about the project’s true scope.”
He added: “As it stands, the proposal could pave the way for a full out-of-town retail park, with little regard for the long-term impact on our town centre.”
However, the developer’s plans state that the site’s location, next to the existing park and ride facility, presents “a unique opportunity to deliver a mixed-use commercial and retail development, intrinsically linked to sustainable travel patterns”.
So far, more than 70 comments have been submitted to the council, a majority of which are objections to the plan.
Mr Baxter said that many Wheatcroft residents were elderly and “not used to responding to public bodies using IT and have therefore felt overwhelmed and unable to respond and make comments/objections to the planning application within the limited timescales”.
Commenting on the well-attended meeting held in April, he said: “When I arrived to chair the meeting, I was staggered to see the number of residents in attendance at short notice.
“The church hall was filled beyond capacity with many residents having to stand. The WCA represents around 500 households within the area that are directly impacted by this major planned hybrid mixed-use commercial and retail development, and around 20 per cent attended our meeting.”
Commenting on concerns about pedestrian safety and connectivity, Mr Baxter said: “The proposed pedestrian network may not provide a safe, direct, or attractive alternative to car use, particularly given the scale of traffic within and around the development.”
Submitted plans note that there is currently limited pedestrian access to the park and ride site and, to facilitate pedestrian and cyclist movements to the site, a pedestrian route will be created from the existing public rights of way which run along the north eastern boundary of the site.
“It is proposed as part of the development to improve these links to provide a high
quality route as part of the development proposals to facilitate access to the
commercial and retail development,” the scheme adds.
The development would include a range of potential businesses, with “strong interest” already shown by potential occupiers, according to Lichfields, the agent for the application.
North Yorkshire Council has not set a date for deciding on the application which is open to representations.
