The former Eskdale School site could now be used for an extra-care housing development, instead of land near Whitby Hospital as originally planned.
For years, extra-care housing was earmarked for building on the footprint of the former hospital after it was demolished and re-configured.
However, North Yorkshire Council (NYC) has confirmed the former school site, on Stainsacre Lane, is now being considered for the scheme, along with other locations in Whitby.
NYC’s corporate director for health and adult services, Abigail Barron, said: “We have a long-standing ambition to bring an Extra Care scheme to Whitby as part of our nationally recognised supported housing programme.
“We are currently looking at possible sites in the town, including the former Eskdale School site.”
It also leaves the future of the site near the hospital uncertain.
However, Coun Neil Swannick, for NYC’s Whitby Streonshalh ward, told a recent meeting of Whitby Town Council, builders and contractors have said the site is difficult to build on because it is on a hill. He added the site should be designated for public use or housing, rather than it be sold and receipts spent outside of the town.
Coun Swannick said: “Extra-care housing was intended for land on what previously formed part of Whitby Hospital before it was re-modelled and smaller.
“This area was passed to NYC, and when it has gone out to tender, contractors are reluctant to build on the hill and it is not big enough to build more than the 50 units, which had originally been proposed.
“Each time they have come back with facts and figures about why it is not viable, but I am very clear, it should not be used as an income stream or capital receipts to be spent on other activities.
“I shall seek for housing or public use on that site and will continue to do so.”
The need for extra-care housing in Whitby has come to the fore again with the announcement, back in May, that Larpool Lane Care Home, and also Silver Birches in Filey, will be replaced by a new council-run Care & Support Hub in Scarborough.
It appears even ward councillors were unaware plans to close Larpool Lane were being progressed.
Coun Swannick said it is not fair for Whitby residents, and their families, to have to travel to Scarborough for elderly care – which is highly likely to be dementia related.
He said: “I am rather disappointed about the way that information was managed. I have been in discussion with officers for many months about provision of extra-care housing in Whitby.
“Whitby was one of the towns designated as needing extra-care housing. The idea was extra-care would be available, should Larpool Lane at some time in the future be closed. I was not aware an announcement would come so soon.
“Whilst it has done a service for the people of Whitby when they needed somewhere for care, Larpool Lane is no longer fit for purpose. I was hoping I could say that the extra-care facility was going ahead urgently before we got to this point.”
The future of the Eskdale site has been the subject of debate since the school closed in 2024, and it now forms part of NYC’s Local Plan Call for Sites.
Landowners, developers and promoters were asked to suggest sites for consideration, as well as NYC reviewing its own estate, to identify potential development opportunities.
Out of several hundreds of suggestions, a total of 47 sites were selected for further consideration, including Eskdale.
With regards to the extra-care scheme, the NYC spokesperson added: “No decisions have been made. We will speak and consult with the local community in Whitby before starting any process to find a developer for a potential scheme.”
