SGI to receive £18.5m public funds to redevelop shopping centre

Scarborough’s former Brunswick Centre will be repositioned for leisure and hospitality, as well as retail, if a cocktail of finance is approved.

Developer Scarborough Group International is leading on the project. SGI’s proposed scheme has an identified gap of £10.5m and requires £8m in public sector loan funding to help attract commercial investment.

The executive will be asked next week to approve in principle the proposed public sector funding package of £10.5m in grant funding from the government’s £5bn Pride in Place programme and the combined authority and an £8m loan from the council.

The proposed redevelopment would include a six-screen cinema, food and drink outlets and new retail units aimed at creating a year-round destination for residents and visitors.

The funding would help cover detailed design work, investigations into the existing structure, internal demolition of parts of the centre and the preparation of a new planning application.

Cllr Mark Crane, deputy leader and member for regeneration at the council, 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.

“We will carefully consider the proposals next week to ensure that the best value is offered to our taxpayers in North Yorkshire before making a decision on whether the funding should be approved.”

The former Brunswick Centre closed in September last year and the site has since been secured while plans for its future are developed.

Official figures show that Scarborough sees a total of 3.9 million visits each year and the town’s tourism sector is worth £579.5m to the local economy.

SGI declined to comment.