Scarborough Borough Council has granted planning consent for a high-quality tourism destination in North Yorkshire that will deliver significant economic benefits to the area.
Designed by architect and masterplanner, Holder Mathias, the Raithwaite Bay Resort in Whitby will include the development of new, luxury holiday accommodation and leisure facilities, including 71 holiday cottages, 82 holiday apartments, 37 forest lodges, restaurant, and welcome hub.
Holder Mathias was appointed as architect and masterplanner owing to its expertise and sensitive design approach. Working responsively with the local authority, the practice delivered a design concept that respected the area’s unique character through the careful design of buildings within the valleys to minimise any impact on the woodland. The result is a high-quality contemporary design using traditional forms that captures the area’s local character and setting.
The holiday apartments will resemble traditional Yorkshire barns, clustered together and designed to appear as though they have evolved and aged over time. A mix of traditional and contemporary materials and finishes will be used to make each apartment unique.
The holiday cottages will be placed in open areas and designed to resemble buildings familiar in North Yorkshire coastal villages. Like the apartments, these will feature a range of materials to reflect the mixed style of cottages along the coast.
The forest lodges have been designed using high-quality tactile materials to blend into the forest landscape.
To ensure its long-term success, a 30-year management scheme will help protect and enhance the estate’s ancient woodland, enabling Scarborough Borough Council to protect its countryside while bringing sustainable economic and tourism initiatives to the borough and wider area.
Richard Jackson MBE, Chairman of Yorkshire Ventures, said: “We are delighted to have secured planning consent for Raithwaite Bay; the quality of design that Holder Mathias has developed has been essential both in achieving this consent and in creating a successful resort”.
Peter Gamble, Partner at Holder Mathias, said: “Our aim is to create a destination of real delight and significance to Whitby and the wider region. Opportunities of this kind and quality are rare, but together we can create something very special while providing employment for generations to come. Based on our reputation and approach to designing in sensitive locations, we are confident that our plans reflect a long-term commitment to the area so this unique destination can thrive and succeed.”
