Scarborough Borough Council has launched a major public consultation exercise on the future of Filey, Scarborough and Whitby ports.

The borough’s engineering and harbour services has published a Draft ports strategy, outlining ideas for development of the ports which it has owned and managed since 1974. It acknowledges the importance of the ports’ heritage and the historic importance to the local economy of fishing and boat-building, but also examines changes in the industries and their growing importance as tourist and leisure attractions.

The draft strategy aims to identify the key drivers for the economic wellbeing and regeneration of the area, and chart a course for the future direction for the management and future development of all three ports. It says: ‘Whereas the ports were the base for ship-building, fishing and cargo in the past, the future is about a different market of leisure, diversified fishing and using the sites for the greater wellbeing of the communities. The strategy will embrace this.’

Consultation closes on 31 January, and a report on results will be submitted to members of the council cabinet in March before a meeting of the full council in May. Key stakeholders and local residents are being invited to comment on the strategy, which is also designed to work with the borough’s shoreline management plan, coastal defence strategies and flood catchment-management plan.

Cllr Herbert Tindall, cabinet member with responsibility for the harbours portfolio, has said the draft strategy will be revised every five years. He said: ‘The ports at Scarborough, Whitby and Filey are unique. They lie at the very heart of the towns’ communities and, in many ways, are the principal reason why the towns have existed and developed to their present scale and status. ‘The issues to be tackled by this strategy are important and the targets will be ambitious. However, with a collective effort, I am optimistic that much can be achieved.’

The draft strategy document can be viewed on the council’s website at www.scarborough.gov.uk, telephone 01723 232423, fax 01723 503826, or e-mail ports.strategy @scarborough.gov.uk