Scarborough MP criticises plans to redevelop former Argos building
A plan for the former Argos building in Scarborough does not really work according to the town's MP, Robert Goodwill.
Last updated 24th Jan 2021
A plan for the former Argos building in Scarborough does not really work according to the town's MP.
Robert Goodwill has joined others in criticising the idea, part of which would see 200 new flats for students and NHS workers.
He says there would be no parking and the site on Newborough is too far away from the hospital.
Robert Goodwill, Scarborough's MP, said:
"Some of the Council's scheme are quite controversial. The Argos site for example, the re-development of that provides student accommodation and health worker accommodation has been quite contentious particularly following the way that the Travelodge deal has gone very sour and the Council hasn't seen the income, partly due to Covid-19.
"It's a long way from the hospital. If I was an NHS worker working unsocial hours, knocking off shifts at 2am, would I want to live in the centre of town and then be faced with 'how do I get back to my flat? How do I get to work? Particularly when there's no provision for parking cars.
"I've seen concerns about the design of the building. I've seen concerns about the long term viability. There have been concerns expressed to me that if those flats are used to house people who are difficult to house, then it may deter other people from going to live there.
"There are a number of people I've talked to in the town, particularly in the business community, who are concerned that the Council are maybe getting over their head a bit in terms of some of these investments.
"I'm not sure the Council itself should necessarily be involved in this sort of investment and certainly, looking back at the Travelodge investment, the Travelodge would have been there anyway even if the Council hadn't decided to buy it. There are plenty of good opportunities in town for private investments.
Steve Siddons, Leader of Scarborough Borough Council, said:
"The hospital have asked for accommodation for their staff in the town centre. People want access to shops, restaurants and bars. We've had nurses homes on the hospital site before and they've been converted to other purposes for lack of interest in people living there.
"It will support the NHS and it will help the university and it will bring more young people into Scarborough to live and work. It will have a direct effect on life chances of young people locally. It's a time for innovation, not a time to be wringing our hands.
"The Government encouraged Councils to invest in commercial activity as a way of replacing the funding that the Government cut from local services. There's been no private investor, that I'm aware of, that's ever been able to make a scheme commercially viable on that Argos site.
"The deal we've negotiated with the Travelodge means that over the long life of the lease, we'll still be having a very health return on the investment and that return will go directly in providing public services.
"This was the Government's intention that local authorities did invest in commercial activity. Now this was done some years ago by the previous administration and it was designed to bring a significant income into the council to support the loss of funding, but nobody could have foreseen the pandemic."