Council rejects ‘ludicrous’ plan for block of flats in Filey due to ‘unacceptable impact’

Members of Scarborough Council’s Planning and Development Committee branded the proposed development “ludicrous” before rejecting the plans due to concerns about impact on local amenity, including a nearby school.

An application by John Sawdon proposed the construction of a block of four flats and two bungalows at 12 Carlton Road, Filey.

The site is currently used as a builder’s yard and electrical depot by a local business and the plans also proposed demolition of the current commercial property.

Earlier this year Mr Sawdon submitted a similar application to build nine dwellings at the same site but this was refused in August due to “overdevelopment of the site”. At the time it was stated that the plans would have resulted “in a cramped unattractive development offering a poor standard of amenity” and a similar justification was given for refusal most recently.

Speaking at the meeting on Thursday November 10, Cllr Roberta Swiers said she used to live at the site and described the proposed access route as “ridiculous”.

She said: “It is opposite the school but it is also opposite The Croft which is a busy run-through road. Access is obviously the worst possible case and I agree, it’s probably the worst access in Filey.

“I wish the developers had taken a bit more advice because the proposed houses don’t look anything like the ones that are already there. They don’t match.”

Though no objections to the plans had been raised by the council’s health housing team, Yorkshire Water, or the Highway Authority, the local planning authority recommended that the proposed development be rejected.

A council report concluded that “overall the design of the proposals is neither distinctive nor responsive to its local context” and stated that the “proposal would result in an unacceptable impact upon neighbouring amenity”.

Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Mike Cockerill, said: “Whilst I welcome work that has been done on applications to develop this site, this is an absolutely ludicrous application.

“If they were sensible enough to put a small development with access through Carlton Road, I believe it would be far more realistic.”

Before moving to a vote, the chair of the meeting, Cllr Jane Mortimer said: “I was here for the first application and the design now is worse than when we had it last time.”

Members of the committee voted unanimously in favour of rejecting the proposed development.