The care homes set to close

Families across Harrogate, Filey and Whitby are facing major changes after North Yorkshire Council approved plans to close three long-standing care homes and replace them with new specialist dementia care hubs.

The council says the move will modernise adult social care services, improve support for vulnerable residents and save millions of pounds each year — but it also marks the end of an era for several well-known local facilities.

The care homes set to close

The following homes will shut under the plans:

• Station View in Harrogate
• Silver Birches in Filey
• Larpool Lane in Whitby

They will be replaced by two new purpose-built care and support hubs in Harrogate and Scarborough.

Where the new hubs will be built

Two modern 60-bed facilities are planned:

• Harrogate: New hub on Ainsty Road (£15.7m investment)
• Scarborough area: New hub in Middle Deepdale, Eastfield (£16.9m investment)

Both centres will provide:

• Specialist dementia care
• Bed-based intermediate care
• Support for people leaving hospital
• Care for residents with complex needs

Why North Yorkshire Council says change is needed

Council officers say demand for specialist dementia care is rising rapidly across the county.

In the last two years alone:

• Dementia-related residential placements in Harrogate have risen by 12%
• Scarborough has seen a 10% increase

The authority also says older buildings are becoming increasingly expensive to maintain.

Rising repair costs

According to council reports:

• Station View in Harrogate has already required more than £300,000 in maintenance over four years
• A further £1.9 million in repairs is expected at the site
• The Filey and Whitby homes have already cost more than £1.1 million in maintenance
• Another £3.5 million would be needed to keep them operational

What the council said

Hannah Brown, North Yorkshire Council’s commissioning and provider services development manager, said rising dementia care costs were placing growing pressure on health and adult services budgets.

She said the authority was increasingly being forced to buy high-cost specialist placements from the independent sector, often requiring additional one-to-one care support.

What happens next?

Planning applications for the new hubs are expected to be submitted this summer.

If approved:

• Construction would begin in June 2027
• Both hubs are expected to open in August 2028

The scheme forms part of a wider £60 million transformation of dementia care services across North Yorkshire, with three more care and support hubs also planned elsewhere in the county.