Scarborough gull plan targets cleaner town centres

By DemoDuck Newsdesk

Residents, businesses and visitors in Scarborough, Whitby and Filey could see a more coordinated approach to urban gull problems under a proposed long-term strategy for North Yorkshire’s coastal town centres.

The draft urban gull strategy sets out how North Yorkshire Council wants to reduce the everyday impact of gulls while staying within wildlife protection rules. The plan focuses on food waste, litter, targeted cleaning, safe deterrents and ongoing population monitoring rather than a single short-term intervention.

The issue will go before the Scarborough and Whitby area committee on Friday, 5 June 2026, as part of the consultation process. If adopted later this year by the council’s executive, the strategy would guide how gull-related problems are managed across Scarborough, Whitby and Filey.

Cleaner streets and fewer food conflicts

The council says gulls are a long-standing part of the North Yorkshire coast, but their growing presence in urban areas has created pressure in busy town centres.

The most common complaints involve fouling, nesting and noise. Herring gulls, often referred to as seagulls, can also come into conflict with people when food waste is easy to access, including scavenging and taking food in public places.

For residents, the proposed approach could mean more attention on known problem spots, cleaner public areas and clearer expectations around food waste. For hospitality and retail businesses, the strategy points toward shared responsibility, including how waste is stored and how landowners help reduce opportunities for gulls to feed around premises.

For visitors, the visible changes are likely to be practical rather than dramatic: fewer open food sources, better awareness, deterrents where appropriate and closer monitoring of areas where gull activity affects public spaces.

Protected birds and lawful deterrents

Gull management is legally sensitive because species including herring gulls and kittiwakes are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. That means any local strategy has to balance public concerns with conservation requirements.

North Yorkshire Council says the draft plan has been developed using evidence and feedback from local businesses, national conservation data and consultation with specialist bodies. Those involved include the Yorkshire Coast Urban Gull Partnership, Natural England, the Environment Agency, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and Yorkshire Water.

Cllr Richard Foster, executive member for managing the environment, said gulls are “an intrinsic part of the North Yorkshire coast” and that coastal towns have lived alongside them for generations.

He said the proposed strategy aims for a “clear, balanced approach” that recognises both the need to protect the birds and the need to reduce their impact on residents, businesses and visitors.

The measures described by the council include reducing access to food, improving public awareness, promoting targeted cleaning hotspots, using safe deterrents and carrying out continued population surveys.

Behaviour change at the centre of the plan

A major theme in the strategy is that gull behaviour is strongly shaped by available food. When bins overflow, waste is exposed or people feed birds directly or indirectly, town centres can become more attractive to gulls.

That makes the plan partly about public behaviour. Better waste handling, less litter and more consistent messaging could reduce the conditions that draw gulls into high-footfall areas.

Cllr Liz Colling, chair of the Scarborough and Whitby area committee, said she is looking forward to the debate and discussion at the committee meeting.

She said she wants to see the proposals on how behaviour around food waste and litter could change, and what impact that may have on the cleanliness of coastal towns and the way gulls behave.

Committee debate before executive decision

The draft strategy will be discussed by the Scarborough and Whitby area committee on Friday, 5 June 2026. That meeting forms part of the consultation process before the wider executive decision expected later in the year.

If the strategy is adopted, North Yorkshire Council says it will use regular monitoring and reviews to check that measures remain effective, lawful and aligned with conservation duties.

The report is being treated as a long-term framework rather than a one-off response to seasonal complaints, with Scarborough, Whitby and Filey all covered by the proposed coastal approach.

Source: North Yorkshire Council

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This report is based on North Yorkshire Council’s published notice about the proposed urban gull strategy.

Checks

• Confirmed the towns covered by the proposal: Scarborough, Whitby and Filey.
• Checked the stated committee date as Friday, 5 June 2026.
• Matched the legal context to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 as cited by the council...
• Separated proposed measures from decisions that still require executive adoption.

North Yorkshire Council Check wider coverage

Source

North Yorkshire Council

Scope

Scarborough, Whitby and Filey

Updated

2026-05-28 19:13

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Article contextPeople & topics2#7

Richard FosterLiz Colling

#coastal waste management#Filey coastline#North Yorkshire Council#Scarborough gulls#urban gull strategy#Whitby town centre#Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

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