Plan welcomed, but questions remain

Campaigners have welcomed a revised draft master plan for Scarborough Harbour, saying it's a “distinct improvement”.

Mandy Lake, spokesperson for Scarborough Harbour Action Group (SHAG), said the organisation was “very heartened” to see community and stakeholder  feedback had been “taken on board”.

But SHAG still has questions, concerns (notably over the loss of green space) and is calling for a "working party". 

The reworked plan, which used from community consultation, was presented by Transport and Main Roads (TMR) to a packed forum at Redcliffe Leagues Club on June 8.

TMR representatives gave an overview of the revised plan, highlighting its aims, updates and benefits - and took questions. 

Draft master plan changes include:

• Keeping trawler berths by Bird O’Passage Pde - not moving them to the harbour's north arm.
• Building a vehicle and car-trailer overflow car park on land beside Oyster Point Pde
• Upgrading the existing public boat ramp at Bird O’Passage Pde
• Investigating a new access road by the caravan park to the northern arm
• Low scale maritime tourism and commercial vessel berths to be inside northern arm
• More open space and pedestrian paths along northern arm
• Northern arm to have low scale marina services, hospitality and overflow parking
• Removing the boardwalk in a mangrove conservation area by Oyster Point Pde
• Replacing the boardwalk with improved pathways along roads to southern arm

The plan can be seen by clicking here. Feedback is being taken via an online survey until 11.59pm on Monday, June 24. Click here.

SHAG spokesperson Mandy Lake said: “In essence, this redraft version is a distinct improvement on the previous iteration.

“But we still have lost a lot of green space, there’s still many unanswered questions and very grey areas, particularly when it comes to the precincts on the northern arm.”

SHAG is still seeking clarification and interpretation on terms such as ‘low impact’ and ‘low scale’ used for maritime tourism and commercial activities.

“TMR also had no tangible answers or game plan as to how the anticipated exponential increase in traffic was going to be mitigated,” Mandy said.

“Moving forward, SHAG will be doggedly calling for greater retention of green space on the northern arm.

“And for the formation of a stakeholder working party that TMR can work with through the next phase and well beyond.”

However, SHAG was “reassured” to hear there were no plans for a conference centre and hotel, which had been put forward.

A spokesperson for TMR said the forum “attendee input was constructive and covered all aspects of the updated draft master plan, including land uses, environment, traffic issues, car parking and timing of implementation".

TMR will consider new feedback from the community and stakeholders and use it to refine and inform the final plan, which may be available later this year.

The master plan will be a non-statutory document that looks to 2050 and be used to guide future leasing and development decisions.