It will cost £15,000 to put up temporary fencing and a road surface at Martin’s Ravine.

A budget of up to £475,000 has been put aside for the whole of the reinstatement work.

A report from John Riby, Scarborough Council’s head of technical services, and Nicholas Edwards, the head of finance and asset management, said the area had been closed for health and safety reasons following the flooding on July 18 last year.

Martin’s Ravine suffered “as a result of a massive ingress of water which has not only destabilised embankments but has rendered it unsafe for pedestrians to use and has also severely disrupted the path and damaged existing drainage,” the officials said.

Traders on Royal Parade, supported by ward councillors, had expressed concerns about the impact this has had on their businesses.

And it has also caused restrictions for people wanting to get to the foreshore from West Avenue and the car park at the top.

Mr Riby says the work would only be temporary until a permanent solution was built later in the year following ground investigation.

He said: “While the temporary opening of Martin’s Ravine is highly desirable from the local community perspective, there is no other reason it should not be closed on health and safety grounds and the borough could be accused in some quarters of wasting money on a temporary solution.”

He added that the proposed temporary work was not included in the original budget.

“At present the full scope of the whole of the reinstatement works to Filey is unknown pending the outcome of the ground investigations and therefore the £475,000 budget is provisional,” he added.

The ground investigation work started in the last week of June and will continue for about two weeks.

If all goes to plan the temporary work will follow immediately and take about two to three weeks.

Mr Riby said some of the shops at the bottom of Martin’s Ravine had received cuts in their rents as a result of the closure.

He added: “This action would allow the council to revert to full rental value and also maximise income from West Avenue Car Park in addition to bringing wider economic benefits to Filey as a whole.”

l What do you think? Have your say in the Mercury. Write to the Filey and Hunmanby Mercury at 17-23 Aberdeen Walk, Scarborough, YO11 1BB, or email stephanie.pride@yrnltd.co.uk