Council will need assurances before it gives green light for conversion of house to children's care home

 

A FIRM that wants to change the use of a house in Grimsby to a care home for  children will have to submit a planning application to North East Lincolnshire as an essential step in the project.

Our Avenue Ltd has earmarked a property in James Street, Grimsby, for establishing a care home for up to two young persons aged seven to 17.

It had hoped that NELC would grant a Certificate of Lawfulness which would have fast-tracked the venture.

However, this application has been turned down by the council.

Says a report:  "Given the site and urban context it is considered that the proposed development constitutes a material change of use. 

"This is because the two uses will be materially different.

"Firstly, in respect of the issue of safety and wellbeing of the children proposed to occupy the property, it is considered that one of the key issues of materiality pertains to the consideration of the safety of the children themselves.

"Secondly, the impact of the use on the character amenity of the local area including increased traffic movements and comings and goings due to staff, professional and personal movements; the suitability of the location of the children's home and the impact of the children's home on community cohesion and the actual or perceived safety of the community."

In order to proceed with the scheme, Our Avenue Ltd will - via a  planning application - need to provide assurances on what is proposed.

Bolton-based company earmarks Village Way on Europarc for its next UK filling station venture

                                                            

Proposed filling station will be near coffee shop and restaurant

PLANS are afoot for construction of a filling station on what is described as "shrubland"  at the Europarc Business Centre. 

The site identified for the project is 0.73 hectares to the west of Starbucks coffee shop off Village Way - not far from the Beechwood Farm restaurant and the junction with the A180 road.

The application seeks full planning consent for the erection of a single-storey fuel filling station kiosk building with two canopies.  

The kiosk building will be separated into the retail area, rest area and bathroom facilities and back of house for staff and deliveries.  

The applicants are the Bolton-based EG Group which has filling stations in at least six other countries including the USA.

They state: "The proposal is to  use high quality materials throughout the development in order to give a modern and appropriate appearance in line with the intended use as a roadside service. 

"Timber boarding is intended for to the front and sections of the side of the building. The majority of the front of the kiosk will be glazed with umbra grey." 

On the downside, 160 hawthorn trees and 23 out of 24 willows have been earmarked for removal in order to make way for the project.

There has been no breeding bird survey, but among the birds recorded by ecologist Hannah Karim when she went walkabout on December 10 were Redwing, Kestrel, Goldcrest and Snipe. 

                                           

Kestrel - one of the bird species that frequent the site

                                                  

Delight for birdwatchers as rare Purple Heron wings its way to the country park in Cleethorpes

There was an unexpected visitor to Cleethorpes Country Park this weekend. A rare Purple Heron was seen variously skulking among the reeds or perched on a branch in the trees on the island in the lake. It is thought that the bird, a relative of the much more common Grey Heron, may have flown to Lincolnshire from the Netherlands where it breeds. 

                                            

Was wool pulled over MP's eyes during recent sorting office visit? Emphatically not says Royal Mail

                                    

Demanding full disclosure - Melanie Onn

THE Government's Small Business minister, Blair McDougall, has been asked to intervene in a transparency row involving MP Melanie Onn and the  Royal Mail's sorting office in Grimsby.

When she paid a recent fact-finding visit to the Fotherby Street premises, the MP was shown empty mail frames, indicating that letters were out for delivery.

But she claims she has since been told by posties that the mail was not out for delivery - instead being hidden away to give the impression of service being carried out as normal.

However, this allegation - effectively that she had been duped - has been emphatically rejected by Royal Mail.

Now Ms Onn has written to the minister, asking him to get the bottom of the matter.

"I should be grateful if you could raise this disparity with Royal Mail," she writes. "Visits are of much greater value if they are honestly displayed.

"It is essential for my constituents that we can get a full picture of what services are being disrupted locally, why and how these matters can be addressed."                                                   

The MP has made public the letter she has written to the minister responsible for oversight of the Royal Mail

Heartbreak for Mariners as valiant fightback at Salford fails to clinch trip to Wembley

GRIMSBY Town have missed out on a Division 2 play-off final trip to Wembley.

Trailing 1-2 against Salford City after the first leg at Blundell Park, Town last night fell further behind when the Lancashire club scored early in the second half to make the aggregate score 3-1.

But then . . .

First Kieran Green, with a header, then a Jaze Kebia tap-in, levelled things up 2-2 on aggregate. 

The game went to extra-time, but Salford netted from close range in the 117th minute to clinch a date for the play-off final trip to London where they will play Notts County - last night's conquerors of Chesterfield 1-0 on aggregate following a 0-0 draw in the previous leg.

It is a hugely disappointing end to the campaign for Town after a momentous season which included  memorable Carabao Cup wins against Manchester United and Wolves early in the season.

But if they can keep together most of this season’s star performers - and maybe add a few more in the close season transfer market - they should have the springboard for another tilt at promotion in 2026-27.

Reform UK likely to miss out on control of council as current Conservative leader digs in heels

                                      

Cllr Freeston - audacious power bid likely to be thwarted

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A POWER grab by  ambitious Reform UK group leader Oliver Freeston looks doomed to fail at next week's AGM of North East Lincolnshire Council.

Following last week’s local elections, Reform UK emerged as the largest party with 14 seats.

But this is a country mile short of an overall majority because the other political groups have a total of 28 seats as follows - Labour 11, Conservative 10, Independent 4 Liberal-Democrat 3.

Talks about power-sharing deal between Reform and the Conservative hit the rocks earlier this week when current council supremo Cllr Philip Jackson (Con, Waltham) refused point-blank to cede leadership of the authority.

In an angry response, Cllr Freeston (Croft Baker) will call for his Tory opponent to be kicked out of the job at next Thursday evening’s meeting.

In a bluntly-worded motion, he has called for Cllr Jackson to be "removed" from the leadership so that he can be elected in his stead.

But his gambit looks likely to backfire - and both he and his  13 Reform colleagues face missing out on out on leadership, cabinet places and control of the authority.

This is  because Cllr Jackson is confident that - in return for the offer of places in the cabinet - he can stitch together a coalition with the Lib Dem’s and the Independents.

Will  the Labour Group like such an arrangement? Not one bit.

But they loathe everything Reform UK represents and will almost certainly opt to tread their own path rather than undermine their credibility by doing deals with those of other political persuasion.

Electors will be able to watch Thursday’s drama unfold because the AGM is due to be screened live via the NELC website.

In the meantime, spare a thought for new borough mayor Cllr Marian Boyd (Con, Park) whose responsibility it is to chair what looks set to be a fractious AGM. 

                                       

The notice of motion on the agenda for next week's annual meeting of the council

 

                                        

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A leafy car park site will provide temporary summer home for Cleethorpes' seasonal outdoor market

From next Wednesday, the temporary home of Cleethorpes outdoor market will be at the leisure centre end of the boating lake car park

A TEMPORARY new home has been found for Cleethorpes' twice-weekly seasonal outdoor market.

While contractors work on pedestrianisation of the town's market place, traders will ply their plants and other wares near the leisure centre at the north end of the boating lake car park.

North East Lincolnshire Council says  there are "plenty of reasons to visit the new site", identifying the chief of them  as: 

* Convenient parking – right next to the market

* Perfect setting – by the boating lake and coastal path

* A great day out – shop, walk, and enjoy the coast all in one visit

* Easier to find – with strong visibility from a main road and bus route

As before, the market will  run every Wednesday and Saturday from 9am to 3pm (weather permitting).

Trading at the temporary new location starts next Wednesday May 20 and will continues her until Wednesday September 30 by which time the re-modelling works at the market's traditional home should have been completed.

NELC says it welcomes inquiries from anyone  interested in trading at Cleethorpes Seasonal Outdoor  Market ( 01472 325836) / market.hall@nelincs.gov.uk.