The demolition of a former hotel in Scarborough which suffered major fire and storm damage is set begin on Monday (30 October).
North Yorkshire Council has appointed a contractor to start demolishing the Marine Residence Hotel on Belmont Road in Scarborough. Work is scheduled to be completed by Christmas.
In the early hours of Sunday, July 16, a fire broke out inside the vacant property, leading to the building being deemed unsafe by North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.
Council concerns about the structural damage to a hotel so close to a road has hastened the demolition plans.
Due to “a lack of dialogue from the property freeholder”, the council applied to Scarborough Magistrates Court to grant an order under Section 77 of the Building Act.
That required the freeholder to start demolishing the building by no later than 5 December and to be completed by April 16 next year.
But then Storm Babet caused more damage to the building, and the council decided to take more urgent action.
North Yorkshire Council’s corporate director for environment, Karl Battersby, said: “Keeping the general public safe is paramount, and given the structural damage to the privately-owned building, which has been exacerbated by Storm Babet, demolition must begin imminently.
“We therefore have no choice but to carry out the work ourselves, make the site safe and allow us to reopen the roads in the area so that local residents and businesses can continue to go about their lives safely.
“We have tried numerous attempts to get in touch with the property freeholder and for them to take action, but due to a lack of communication the time has now come to address this ourselves.”
Following the demolition of the building and the site being made safe, Belmont Road and lower Ramshill Road (between Belmont Road and Valley Road) will reopen.