£400,000 of funding has been approved to expand the Construction Skills Village in Scarborough. 

The borough council’s cabinet made the decision on Tuesday 17 July with the view of extending the site at Eastfield.

A Construction Business Centre will be built within the former High Eastfield Farm House. The funding comes from Advantage Coast CLLD and from York, North Yorkshire and East Riding Local Enterprise Partnership (YNYER LEP.)

According to the report put before cabinet, once completed the Construction Business Centre will support local construction businesses with a range of packages to help develop their businesses and encourage micro and small businesses to become part of the supply chain for larger organisations

Speaking at cabinet, Councillor Sandra Turner, cabinet member for communities, said:

“The benefits that it brings to our area are absolutely brilliant. We’ve got Sirius coming on board as well and I know they’re working together so we’ve got skilled people ready to move into the jobs that will come on the table. 

If you look not too far back, young people in this area found it very difficult to get an apprenticeship with anything.

They had no skills, they wouldn’t be considered. The village has opened up so many opportunities.”

Leader of the borough council Derek Bastiman added:

“I think this move up to High Eastfield Farm and the opportunities that it opens up there are just tremendous for young people and people looking for employment. 

So it isn’t just to benefit the people of Eastfield Estate, it’s to benefit the people of the borough and wider area.”

Work is expected to start on the site next month, with a view to being completed by March 2019.