Councillors are set to approve the construction of Whitby’s Maritime Hub despite ‘negative impacts’ on the conservation area and parking provisions.
Plans for a £10m Maritime Hub at Whitby’s Endeavour Wharf are set to be approved by North Yorkshire Council’s strategic planning committee on Tuesday, August 13.
The proposed three-storey maritime centre could provide space for businesses and employment opportunities and the council has said it could help the “rebirth of industry” in Whitby.
However, more than 50 residents have objected to the proposal with many raising concerns about a loss of parking, its impact on the historic character of the area, and whether the money could be better spent on other projects.
The hub – which is funded through £17.1m awarded by the government’s Towns Fund – would have a ridge height of 15 metres and a footprint of approximately 627 square metres.
The ground floor would have two workshop spaces, a lobster hatchery and seawater tanks, a store for the Harbour Master’s flood equipment, and a fishing industry training space and workshop with a drying facility.
The first floor would have fishing industry training rooms and a laboratory as well as the Harbour Master’s office and emergency planning room.
Loss of car parking
Whitby Town Council said it supported the plan but said that due to the loss of 52 car parking spaces “park and ride provision should be extended and/or alternative parking should be developed elsewhere”.
Historic England said councillors should consider “whether the public benefits of the scheme outweigh the harm” to the “extremely characterful historic coastal settlement”.
The council’s conservation officer said the scheme would have an impact “on the views from the iconic swing bridge” and said that its “public benefits” would have to be “sufficient to outweigh the level of harm identified”.
The Highway Authority said that in order to mitigate the 35 per cent reduction in car parking spaces the council should provide £35,000 for the provision of an ‘electronic directional display sign’.
It said the sign would direct drivers to other car parks that still had remaining parking spaces.
Whitby Civic Society supported the plan as did Cllr Neil Swannick who said the hub would play “an important role in the economic and environmental strategies for Whitby” by reducing dependence on tourism and providing young people with skills, training, and jobs.
However, resident Julie Smith, who objected to the plan, said: “The design is a monstrosity and not in keeping with the surrounding area.”
Another objector, Anne Beckett, said: “The style of building is not in keeping with the surrounding area and its height will dominate the harbour front.”
But planning officers have recommended that councillors “assign significant weight” to the public economic benefits in favour of the proposal.
A report prepared ahead of the planning meeting concluded that “identified harms are offset” by the presumption in favour of the “significant social and economic public benefits which the development is likely to deliver over time”.
The scheme has been recommended for approval and will be decided at NYC’s strategic planning meeting in Northallerton on Tuesday, 13 August.
Members of the public are invited to attend the meeting.