Eastfield boxing club expansion receives council backing

​Hundreds more people could soon benefit from greater access to grassroots sport to improve their health and wellbeing after a planned expansion of a popular boxing club was supported by councillors.

​Westway Boxing Club in the Eastfield neighbourhood of Scarborough is facing “time-critical” cost pressures and requires £350,000 in funding for a proposed scheme to expand the community venue.

​A private developer has already covered the first £350,000 for the design, planning work and initial capital contribution to extend the facility.

​NYC’s executive member for corporate services, Cllr Heather Phillips, whose responsibilities include stronger communities, said: “It’s a good news story. It’s been one of the ambitions to expand the club for a long time and it was one of the bedrock items for the Eastfield Town Council vision programme.

​“This project will not detriment any other schemes, there is still scope to deliver the ambitious projects put forward as part of the community consultation.

“Boxing might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it instils discipline and respect in people and it is a massively important project for an area that has been left behind.”

​The proposed expansion would almost double the club’s footfall from around 300 to 500 people, enabling a safe, positive place to build confidence, discipline and life skills through sport.

Eastfield boxing club. NYC (Image: NYC)

​The club has secured a quote of £700,000 for the planned construction work, but it is only guaranteed until the end of June. All other quotes received are more than £1 million, meaning delays could significantly increase costs. In addition, planning permission requires work to begin before January 30, 2027.

​At a meeting of North Yorkshire Council’s executive committee on Tuesday, June 16, council bosses unanimously approved the allocation of £350,000 to fund the project.

​Westway Boxing Club has always been described as a valuable and long-standing community asset with a proven track record of delivering positive outcomes.

​In December last year, North Yorkshire Council gave Eastfield community groups 15 months to agree on a single plan for how £3.2 million in regeneration funding should be used.

​This funding request is an exception to the council’s previous decision that money from the £3.2 million reserve would only be allocated after a community-led investment plan is developed through the Town Investment Plan (TIP) process.

​The boxing club’s expansion plans include a main training hall with a full-sized boxing ring, extra gym space, changing rooms and toilets, a café area as well as new classrooms and spaces for storage.

​Consultation during the planning process led to 44 supportive comments from the community.

​North Yorkshire Council’s elected member for the Eastfield division, Cllr Tom Seston, said: “I have lived near this club my whole life, and I’ve seen how well attended it is.

​“Expanding the club will take it to the next level and allow it to operate as two classes at once by doubling the capacity.

​“This will be a high-class facility and with an investment of £350,000 we are getting so much social benefit for the community.

”It is also due to create rooms for alternative education and specialist programmes, including support for people with Parkinson’s disease.”

​Cllr Malcolm Taylor, executive member for highways, said at the meeting: “I’ve seen first hand the diversionary work that this boxing club does for young people in the community; it does brilliant work, and I’m very happy to support it.”