The first wave of projects that could benefit from a multi-million pound investment aimed at transforming Scarborough and improving the health and wellbeing of its communities have been revealed.
The town is in line to receive up to £20 million of government funding as part of the national Pride in Place programme, which is designed to drive regeneration and unlock opportunities for those who live and work in towns across the country.
The money will support a range of projects that can boost economic growth, create safer and more welcoming environments, improve wellbeing, and provide new opportunities for young people to reach their potential.
The Scarborough Neighbourhood Board is responsible for co-ordinating how the funding will be spent in the town, working with ourselves.
Earlier this year, residents were invited to have their say on 11 projects that were identified by the board as possible recipients for the funding. More than 1,200 responses were received, helping to identify those with the strongest community backing.
Following this engagement, seven projects have been selected to receive the first phase of funding and they will be presented to members of our executive when they meet on Tuesday, 26 May.
The projects include contributing towards the redevelopment of the former Brunswick Shopping Centre into a leisure complex, improving accessibility at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, and enhancing the town centre through the Sprucing Up Scarborough initiative.
Plans for a year-round programme of cultural events under the Scarborough Fair banner, a dedicated men’s wellbeing hub, a youth support programme to inspire young people, and a small grants scheme to help community groups and voluntary organisations deliver local projects have also been earmarked for funding.
To ensure momentum is maintained, councillors will be asked to allocate £3.2 million from the authority’s reserves to support delivery in the first two years of the programme. This money will be reimbursed when the Government’s funding is released.
Executive member for open to business, Cllr Mark Crane, whose responsibilities include economic development and regeneration, said: “This presents a significant opportunity to deliver long-term regeneration in Scarborough and make a lasting difference for local communities.
“It is vital that the local projects chosen to receive the funding are the right ones, that can bring wide-ranging benefits for those who live and work in the town. The money needs to act as a catalyst for further sustainable investment in Scarborough.
“We were delighted with the feedback that was received during the consultation, and the Scarborough Neighbourhood Board has used that to put forward seven local projects that reflect the community’s priorities and which they feel can benefit from this funding.
“These will be carefully considered by members of the executive when we meet next week.”
At the end of last year, the board produced a 10-year regeneration plan for the town alongside well as a four-year investment plan setting out its over-arching priorities. These include improving the town’s appearance by tidying up public spaces and shopfronts, and supporting new leisure and commercial opportunities to increase town centre footfall.
A shortlist of 11 potential projects was published in January, with residents invited to give their views. A total of 1,294 responses were received during the month-long consultation.
Following this feedback, the board and the council have refined the list to seven projects that reflect community priorities and have the potential to deliver long-term benefits for the area.
The chair of the Scarborough Neighbourhood Board, Heath Samples, said: “I’m incredibly proud of the work that the board has undertaken alongside the local community to reach this stage.
“From the outset, our focus has been on listening to residents and identifying projects that can deliver visible, lasting improvements for Scarborough - supporting regeneration, wellbeing, opportunity and community pride.
“During the process, the Board agreed that public feedback should carry the most weight when projects were being prioritised. We wanted residents to know their voices genuinely mattered, and the final shortlist strongly reflects the priorities the community told us were most important.
“This is an important first step in a long-term programme that has the potential to make a real difference to the town for many years to come.”
Members of our executive will consider the shortlisted projects, along with funding allocations for the first four years of the programme, when they meet on Tuesday, 26 May. The report can be viewed or downloaded as a PDF here.