MBITIOUS plans for a multi-million pound development including a cinema !

There are AMBITIOUS plans for a multi-million pound development including a cinema and tall ships museum to replace the disused cargo shed on Whitby's Endeavour Wharf were unveiled on Friday.

The Whitby architects BHD Partnership have been working on the designs for Artopia – which is likely to cost in the region of £10m – at the request of film-maker Nigel Ward from the town's Church Street.

A handful of invited guests turned out for the daytime presentation at Whitby Coliseum including Mark Firth, renaissance manager for Yorkshire Forward and John Riby, Scarborough Borough Council's head of engineering.

In the evening, Mr Ward said around 200 members of the public watched his multi-media presentation on his proposal.

But Speaking at the daytime meeting on Friday, Mr Riby told the audience a touch of realism was needed to the situation and there was a "faction elsewhere" which disagrees with Mr Ward's plans.

"I appreciate the efforts to make better use of the shed," he said."But we have had a few requests from external businesses who said 'we would be quite interested in taking on that particular site for ports-related use and with that, bring jobs to Whitby'.

"That process is ongoing.

"Tenders are due back towards the end of this month."

Mr Ward said the overwhelming majority – 98% of those present at the presentations – expressed their support for the project, although he added there were three dissenting voices.

He also hit back at Mr Riby saying the council should "give" the building to the town as a gift, despite Mr Riby telling him it is a council asset.

Mr Ward's plans for Artopia include Whale-a-rama – a holographic Whitby whale experience – an educational show played at regular intervals; a bar and restaurant; a cinema; digitally created big fun hall of mirrors; a market; dance studio; post production facilities for film crews which visit the town frequently; a maritime museum; a home for the William Riley Lifeboat and Whitby Archives and a viewing platform to see tall ships.

But although Mr Ward has publicly unveiled his plans for the cargo shed, he said he has not put in a tender for the site, nor does he intend to apply for funding.

He said: "I am neither qualified nor interested in raising funding. I am an artist with some considerable commitment to supporting my community.

"I have undertaken a great many meetings and written and received hundreds of emails in an attempt to get Artopia started.

"My health is not good and I feel I have done all I can for the moment to bring about something wonderful at Endeavour Wharf."

Andy Tordoff, assistant director of environment (tourism and rural renaissance) at Yorkshire Forward said: "Nigel Ward has put forward a number of headline ideas for the cargo shed in Whitby, one of which is a cinema.
“Yorkshire Forward is considering his proposal in partnership with the Local Authority, Business Link and other partners and to date, no decision has been made as to whether this will be progressed further.”

Once the tender applications are received for the cargo shed, Scarborough Borough Council will take a vote as to whether they want to see the building demolished or remain.

If it were to remain and were to be taken over for a non-ports related use, the council would have to apply for a Harbour Revision Order which could take many years and would have to go out to p