Monday 18 March 2024

Yorkshire-based battery storage company earmarks leafy Cleethorpes wildlife site for development

 

The land off Hewitts Avenue - home to songbirds such as whitethroats, linnets and bullfinches - is designated as a Local Wildlife Site but this may not save it from being developed

A NATURE-rich area on the outskirts of Cleethorpes has been earmarked for development.

A national company, Knaresborough-based Harmony Energy, is targeting land adjacent to the Northern Powergrid electricity plant off Hewitts Avenue in New Waltham as a potential depot for giant storage batteries.

Its agents say it intends to make up for the destruction  of wildlife habitat by planting native 12 trees and installing 20 nestboxes and  10 bat boxes.

By way of further compensation for loss of biodiversity, they say negotiations have begun with a farmer to buy a strip of land which would be given over to wildflowers. However, this deal has not been finalised.

The patch, located off Hewitt's Avenue, serves as a corridor  between the banks of the Buck Beck and a woodland with the latter, alas, also under threat of  development (as a holiday park).

Access to walkers is currently available via a path  running alongside the side of  The Pear Tree pub near the Tesco superstore, but no guarantee has been offered that this will be retained.

Although consent has not been granted for the development, contractors have already begun removing hedges in expectation that North East Lincolnshire Council will grant planning permission later this spring.

Neither Humberston Village Council nor New Waltham Parish Council have raised any objection to the scheme.

Even before planning consent has been granted,  the site has this month been part-cleared of shrubs and other vegetation


This photograph taken at another Harmony Energy site is what the company has in mind for land off Hewitts Avenue




 




Spectacular artwork makeover for one side of recently re-opened Cleethorpes pub

 
This imposing mural is adding interest to the Cleethorpes street scene - specifically one side of The Old Vic pub on the corner of Grant Street and High Street. In the coming days, London-based street artist Woskerski (pictured below with another creation, an exploding slice of water melon) will be adding the finish touches.




Captivating new video casts Grimsby and Cleethorpes area in a way you might not have thought possible

 

Obviously Grimsby's famous dock tower has to feature

IF  you have a spare couple of minutes, catch up with an entertaining new video - accompanied by catchy music - on YouTube.

It features Grimsby and Cleethorpes as they have never been seen before with everything happening at high-speed and in toytown dimension.

It is a collaboration between Discover North East Lincolnshire, the area’s official tourism brand, and Lincolnshire videograph firm Rich  Beach Media to mark the start of English Tourism Week.

Featured are such landmarks as Cleethorpes Pier, Grimsby Dock Tower, the Ross Tiger, Waltham Windmill, Grimsby Minster and St Peter’s Church.

On top of that, it shows off the  Lollipop Land Train, Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway, the promenades, the coastal path and Cleethorpes beach.

Enthuses Hayden Dawkins, North East Lincolnshire Council's portfolio holder for the visitor economy:

"This video is captivating - watch it!"

Grimsby and Cleethorpes in Miniature  

And here's Kings Road in Cleethorpes



           

Sunday 17 March 2024

These boots were made for walking, and that’s just what they’ve done - walked right out of town

                                                   

All boxed up ready for transfer - the Cleethorpes premises this weekend

 

THE retail scene in North East Lincolnshire has received another blow.

It looks like footwear firm Pavers has pulled out of Cleethorpes for good.

The signs were ominous last month when trade ceased at the back of the premises which it shared with fashion retailer Leading Labels near the Parkway cinema.

It was thought that the closure might be temporary, resulting from what were described as "staff issues".

But this weekend it looks as if the closure has been made permanent.

It is understood that boots, shoes, trainers and slippers were being boxed up on Friday ready for dispatch.

A new sign has been posted stating that the nearest Pavers outlet is now within Brigg Garden Centre.

A statement is awaited from the company’s head office which is in York.

Jet-skier hit in the pocket by magistrates after breaching parking regulations at Pier slipway

The slipway on the other side of he pier is where the offence occurred


A JET-skier who parked unlawfully on the Cleethorpes Pier slipway has been hit with a £440 penalty.

According to North East Lincolnshire Council, the individual twice committed the offence in June last year.

He was taken to court by the authority after failing to pay a £100 fixed penalty fine.

After pleading guilty at Grimsby Magistrates' Court, the 48-year-old offender was fined £440.04, made up of a £153 fine, £61 surcharge and £226.04 in costs.

Saturday 16 March 2024

Heavy financial penalty for man who broke law by carrying out car repairs at side of road

 

Grimsby Magistrates' Court - defendant failed to attend



A MAN has been ordered to pay more than £1500 after being found guilty for a second time of repairing a car at  the roadside.

Under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 , it is an offence to carry out works on a motor vehicle on the roadside.

This includes repair, maintenance or servicing of a motor vehicle.

 The only exception to this would be if responding to a breakdown.

In June 2023, Gary Mills was seen carrying out repairs to a motor vehicle on a road. He was informed he was committing an offence.

He had also previously been taken to court for the same offence in 2022.

As a result, he was asked to attend a formal interview to help assist with the investigation under section 108 of the Environment Act 1995 but he failed to attend the interview, which is an offence itself.

Mills had previously been issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice  of £100 for the original offence, but failed to pay the fine. As a result, he was prosecuted at court for the offence.

At a subsequent hearing, held at Grimsby Magistrates Court, Mills failed to attend and a ruling was made in his absence.

He was ordered to pay £1,590 in total, with the fine broken down as follows:

£440 fine – offence 1 (carrying out restricted works)

£440 fine – offence 2 (failing to assist investigation)

£352 – Victim surcharge

£358 – costs

After the hearing, Cllr Ron Shepherd, NELC's portfolio holder for safer and stronger communities, commented: "This is a great result for our enforcement teams.

"They work tirelessly to ensure our borough is safe and prosecutions such as this are a prime example of why our teams do the work they do.

"People need to realise that there are rules and laws in place for a reason. 

"These are not simply there for our amusement, but to uphold the quality of life for the residents across the borough.

"Anyone found to be breaking these rules will be dealt with accordingly, with no exception. 

"This council has a zero tolerance policy and no one is above the law."

The Grimsby News says: We have sympathy for the defendant. Tinkering with cars is a hobby for many motorist, and there is nothing to indicate that any nuisance or inconvenience was being caused to other road-users. Also disturbing is the portfolio holder's tone of exultation at the conviction - it gives the impression of  a bullying council. Was it really such a serious offence?

Friday 15 March 2024

Never mind the fish, man ‘landed' hefty fine after angling at Cleethorpes Country Park without permit

Cleethorpes Country Park - idyllic for anglers but you need the right paperwork


A SESSION with rod and line at the lake in Cleethorpes Country Park proved costly for a local angler.

According to  North East Lincolnshire Council, when approached last May, the individual was unable to produce a valid Environment Agency permit or rod licence.

He should have bought these in advance from the Tourist Information Centre at the Report Hub opposite Cleethorpes Pier.

He was summonsed to appear before Grimsby magistrates after failing to pay a £100 fixed penalty notice 

He did not attend court, and, in his absence, was ordered  to pay a total  of £534.04 comprising the original fine, costs and a victim surcharge.