Scarborough Council set to approve sale of swimming pool and farmland
A decision will be made next week by the authority's Cabinet
Scarborough Council’s Cabinet will next week decide on whether to “dispose” of two major council-owned properties in the Scalby and Woodlands wards.
The authority’s cabinet is being asked to approve the sale of two properties; a former swimming pool and a large plot of agricultural land, both of which are currently owned by Scarborough Council.
If the sale of the properties is approved, the former indoor swimming pool is set to be home to a £15m 100-bedroom hotel. An approach has already been made by HQ Hotels about purchasing the site.
This will form part of the council’s North Bay Masterplan which was approved by the cabinet on July 1.
As part of the masterplan, Scarborough Council has set out an aim of attracting hundreds of thousands of additional visitors every year through new “adrenaline experiences” and “four-star plus” hotels.
The site has not been in use as a pool since the council’s indoor sports facilities in Scarborough relocated to the Sports Village in 2017, and in March this year the authority’s appointed contractor, Jennings of Pudsey, commenced demolition works on site.
Meanwhile, a 162-acre plot of agricultural land is also set to go up for sale as part of plans “to rationalise the council’s agricultural portfolio”.
The major area of land at Raincliffe Farm, Throxenby, is currently held on a short farm business tenancy to a local farmer and would be put on the open market.
The current tenancy ends in October and will automatically expire without the need for “either party to serve notice”.
However, the council’s report states that the tenant is fully aware of the proposal and has expressed an interest in the land and is waiting for it to come to market.
The tenant previously made an offer which was deemed below market value and was subsequently refused, but now the council says that the sale of the property would provide a “capital receipt which will assist in the delivery of the corporate aims and priorities”.
The council has set out how much it expects to make from the sale in a confidential appendix, but this information is being withheld from the public on the grounds that it is “confidential information relating to the financial and business affairs” of the authority.
The cabinet will decide on the “disposal” of both properties at its meeting on Tuesday July 26.