Scarborough Borough Council confirm purchase of Pavilion House

The council has exchanged contracts with the owners of the buidling and has conirmed that it has the keys in its possession.

The purchase follows approval at October’s meeting of the cabinet to proceed with the station gateway investment project.

Pavilion House was once voted Scarborough’s ugliest building but will be given a new lease of life as part of the council’s blueprint for Scarborough town centre.

The 1970s concrete cladding will be removed and replaced by glazing to give the building a modern look and to enhance its environmental credentials.

A public sector ‘hub’ would be established inside and the council is in discussion with the NHS and Beyond Housing about their future accommodation needs.

The rest of the space would be offered as ‘touchdown’ work areas for businesses to use.

A new use for Pavilion House is just one part of the flagship regeneration scheme for the area around the station which could unlock £50 million of investment in the borough.

It includes the purchase of the former Comet building to create new office accommodation.

The road junction and space outside the railway station will be remodelled as a public square to make it easier to access the town centre and to boost its visual appeal.

A new transport interchange will be created to provide more opportunities for people to travel around the borough and leave their cars at home.

The proposals include electric car hire and car clubs, a cycle and scooter hub, electric charging points and improved access to local bus and taxi services.

Transforming the station gateway area will remove some of the barriers to economic growth within Scarborough and help the economy recover from the impacts of Covid-19.

Councillor Liz Colling, cabinet member for inclusive growth, said: “The successful purchase of Pavilion House is a significant milestone for us.

“Without it, we wouldn’t be able to realise our transformative plans for the area around Scarborough railway station.

“We can now move forward with this project which will vastly improve our offer to businesses, provide better public transport options and boost the overall look of the area.

“The station gateway project represents a major investment in Scarborough, and I am delighted we’ve made rapid progress so soon after cabinet approved the scheme.”