Shopping centre revamp could get £8m council loan

Plans to turn a former Scarborough shopping centre into a leisure destination could receive a council loan of £8m.

The Brunswick Centre closed in September last year for redevelopment, which aims to create a six-screen cinema, food and drink outlets and new retail units.

North Yorkshire Council said the proposals had the potential to transform a large vacant site into a "vibrant destination" and a loan would help the developer attract commercial investment.

Plans to provide a loan to developer Scarborough Group International will be considered at a meeting on 27 October.

The scheme could also receive a £10.5m grant from the Pride in Place programme and York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, if plans are approved.

North Yorkshire Council's deputy leader Mark Crane said: "The site of the former Brunswick Centre is in the heart of Scarborough and would be an important element for our plans for regeneration across the town and the wider coastal area.

"These proposals have the potential to transform a large vacant site into a vibrant destination that will attract both residents and visitors throughout the year."

According to the authority, the scheme could create more than 400 direct jobs and about 160 jobs through the supply chain.

It is also forecast to generate up to £45m of annual spending and attract an estimated 850,000 visits a year.

If proposals go ahead, the council would contribute an initial £1m for pre-development work, which would be matched by funding from the combined authority and the Pride in Place programme.

The £3m package would help cover design work, investigations into the building's structure, internal demolition of parts of the centre and the preparation of a new planning application.

The next phase of work is expected to take about 12 months before a final decision is made on whether the full redevelopment should proceed.

The council said its loan funding would only be provided if the combined authority and Pride in Place funding was agreed, and robust safeguards and comprehensive due diligence checks were in place.

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