Former pub in North Yorkshire resort to be turned into residential flats

(Image: Staff)

A FORMER pub in a popular North Yorkshire resort will be turned into residential flats after plans were approved by the council.

The ground floor of the former Durham Hotel pub in Scarborough’s North Bay will be turned into flats following North Yorkshire Council’s approval of Thomas Atkinson’s proposal.

Six flats currently exist on the first and second floors of the building at 44-46, North Marine Road.

Submitted plans stated that the change of use will provide much-needed accommodation in the centre of Scarborough and will not harm the conservation area, as no external alterations have been proposed to the front of the property.

However, the council’s building conservation officer said that the submitted plans were “lacking in detail, and it is unclear what materials are proposed for the alterations outlined”.

The officer also highlighted that “photographs should have been provided of every elevation and properly annotated architectural drawings provided”.

No objections were made by the Highway Authority, and no comments were received from members of the public.

Durham Hotel, North Marine Road, Scarborough. Google Maps, 2014.

Planners said that the principle of the residential development was acceptable and the conversion to flats “is considered to conform to the characteristics of the surrounding area”.

Commenting on the loss of a community facility, officers noted that the submitted information indicated that the pub has been closed for more than four years and has remained vacant.

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The applicant stated that the premises are no longer viable as a public house and that no financial records were available at the time the property was acquired.

“Whilst limited viability information has been submitted, officers note the significant period during which the premises has remained vacant, and the prolonged vacancy is considered to indicate an absence of demand for the continued use of the premises as a public house and weighs in favour of the proposed change of use,” officers said.

North Yorkshire Council approved the application, subject to conditions, on Thursday, August 20.