Retailer couple on demolition plan as village ‘moves away from needing local store’

A shop and a petrol station in a Scarborough village are to be demolished to make way for new homes.

Mr and Mrs R N Thornton applied to Scarborough Council to build three new homes on the site in High Street, Snainton.

The plans have now been approved by Scarborough Council planning officers under delegated powers after no objections were received.

In their submission to the authority, the couple said the store, Post Office and petrol station closed a year ago when “its lack of viability could no longer be sustained.”

Their planning statement added: “Long before the closure of the convenience store, post office, petrol station people preferred and started to use to use the shops, post office and petrol station at nearby East Ayton with its good, safe parking facilities thus reflecting changing living patterns.”

The couple ran the business for almost 20 years but have now decided to press ahead with the demolition plan to make way for the new homes.

The planning statement went on to say that Snainton as a village has moved away from needing a local store.

It stated: “Like many other similar villages over a period of time the demographic of the village has changed.

“One aspect of this change has resulted in pedestrian visits into the village to ‘do the shopping’ becoming less frequent and often not even necessary.”

In granting approval, Scarborough Council’s planning officers noted that the site had been on the market for almost 15 years, with the asking price falling from £475,000 to £275,000.

There had been 80 viewings but no bids to take it over as a business.