WILDLIFE AT RISK FOLLOWING OIL LEAK INCIDENT AT CLEETHORPES WATERWAY

                                             

Moorhens, such as this chick, are vulnerable to pollution

WILDLIFE has been put at risk following contamination of a Cleethorpes waterway.

Since midweek, oil has been leaking from an unknown source into the Buck Beck drain.

It is thought the source of the slick may be somewhere on or near the Wilton Road industrial estate.

Affected is a stretch running from there, along the boundary of Cleethorpes country park, past  the Premier Inn and Little Buck Beck pumping station to the outfall close to the foreshore chalets.

As of today, there have been no reports of stricken wildlife, but water voles, fish and birds, such as little grebes, moorhens, mallard and black-headed gulls, have been put at risk. 

There is also a threat to emerging dragonflies,  damselflies and other aquatic invertebrates.

The Environment Agency has been alerted.

TEN-MINUTE TWITCH: HUMBERSTON FITTIES POOLS

From our birdwatching correspondent

Ruff - a wader not often seen at this location which is on the edge of an RSPB reserve

Location: Humberston Fitties pools, Humberston, near Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire (the site is part of RSPB Tetney Marshes)

Date: August 23,  2019 

Weather: Very warm and sunny. No wind.

Target species: Curlew sandpiper

Star species: Ruff (two birds)

Other species recorded: Herring gull, black-headed gull, golden plover, greenshank, yellow wagtail, little grebe,  common sandpiper,  little egret, linnet, swallow, woodpigeon, carrion crow, lapwing, little ringed plover

Little ringed plover

Greenshank

Golden plover

SUCH GENEROSITY! FIRM BEHIND 152-HOME SCHEME OFFERS TO PAY FOR INSTALLATION OF TWO NEW BUS STOP SHELTERS

THE  firm behind a proposed 152-home development on farm fields in Laceby has offered  to chip in with £12,000 to install  shelters at two existing bus stops within the village.

It says it is also willing to make  a contribution of £8,000 towards the introduction of 'real time' bus arrival information

This is on top of more substantial sums Humberside Land Developers Ltd (or its clients) will be legally obliged to cough up as a contribution to schooling of the many young people who will be growing up on the new estate planned for the site which is located off Field Head Road.

The project has attracted intense opposition from the parish council and villagers residents who fear it will increase pressure on roads and other infrastructure.

Also unhappy is pig farmer Jon Starkey who fears incomers will protest about noise, smell and flies from his business which has been running for 58 years.

However, North East Lincolnshire Council approved the application in the belief that many new homes are required within the borough.

One disappointing feature of the consent  is that none of the planning conditions provides, at least in any specific way,  for creation of wildlife habitat to replace that which will be lost - to the detriment of songbirds, butterflies and other creatures.

This is on the basis of an ecology assessment, commissioned (and paid for) by the developer, which states that there are "no habitats or plants of national or local importance on the site, nor is the nature of the proposals and extent of development proposed likely to generate any significant impacts, directly or indirectly on valuable ecological receptors".

According to NELC's planning case officer Richard Limmer, there is "no reason to disagree with this finding".

Impartial ecologists - and  planning officers with a better understanding of the importance of biodiversity - might take a different view.

PLANNING GREEN LIGHT FOR GRIMSBY SCHOOL'S PROPOSED ALL-WEATHER SPORTS PITCH

AN all-weather sports pitch is to be created at Lisle Marsden School, off Lansdowne Avenue in Grimsby.

It will be located to the north-east of the existing school buildings within an area of grassed land.

As part of the scheme, there will also be perimeter fencing to a maximum height of 2.4 metres.  

A Park Avenue resident expressed concerns in regard to noise and road safety and congestion for school drop-off and collection.

However, NELC planners deemed these insufficient to justify refusing the application.

This proposal, which follows a consultation exercise with the public, replaces an earlier one which would have had the pitch created on a different part of the school site closer to homes in Portland Avenue.

VILLAGE HAIR SALON TO BE CONVERTED TO HOT FOOD TAKEAWAY DESPITE NEIGHBOUR PROTESTS

CHANGE of use of a hair salon in Healing has been approved by North East Lincolnshire Council.

Pardeep Sarkaria, of Wisteria Drive in the village, has secured planning consent to convert the premises at 99 Station Road to a hot food takeaway.

The property is the second unit of a run of terraces consisting of one residential property, the salon, the  post office/shop and a fish and chip takeaway. 

Despite objections from the parish council, NELC's planning committee decided there were insufficient reasons to refuse the application.

Mr Sarkaria also seeks to provide  a new shop front, with shutters, and to install an extraction flue.

Proposed hours of opening are: Sunday to Thursday - 08:00hrs to 21:00hrs and Friday to Saturdays 08:00hrs to 22:30hrs.

PLANNING GREEN LIGHT FOR DEMOLITION OF CLEETHORPES' THRUNSCOE CENTRE IN FAVOUR OF CONSTRUCTION OF 42 NEW HOUSES

End of the road for former school and adult education centre

 THE planning thumbs-up has been given for a former school in Cleethorpes to be demolished in favour of a housing development.

North East Lincolnshire Council has approved an application by Land Developer (Lincs) Ltd - a consortium of  builders - to construct 42 semi-detached houses on the site of the Thrunscoe Centre, off Highgate.

There are various conditions attached to the approval.

For instance, before any works start, a method statement will be required by the council specifying measures to safeguard residents from noise, dust (including that from asbestos) and other nuisance.

There is also a requirement for the Parker Street access at the rear of the sit to be permanently closed off.

Because the buildings earmarked for demolition may be home to breeding or roosting bats, the council is insisting on mitigation to ensure new habitat is provided. 

The most important trees on the site are likely to be saved, and further landscaping is proposed.

Interestingly, NELC is also insisting of vehicle electric recharge points at every property.

It is not known when work will start on the project.

PADDLEBOARDERS IN PERIL - DUO WERE A LONG WAY OUT OUT FROM BEACH

A dot in the distance - one of the paddleboarders is surely too far out for comfort

COASTAL emergency services were on standby this morning after two paddleboarders ventured dangerously far off Cleethorpes beach.

With the tide going out and a stiff offshore breeze, it was feared the duo might become too exhausted to paddle the whole way back to dry land.

But, showing impressive strength and stamina, they both made it back to the beach - at Humberston - unaided.

Awaiting them were two beach safety officers who were able both to commend their resilience and provide a word of advice.

Still a long way to go

                             

Gee, this is tough!

                                              

Not far to go now

  

I could use a drink!

Welcome back lads, but a word of caution . . .

WHAT CAUSED BLAZE THAT SCORCHED CEREAL FIELDS ON OUTSKIRTS OF VILLAGE?

The morning after - one of the scorched fields off South Sea Lane

IT is not yet clear what caused yesterday afternoon's  farm field blaze in Humberston that resulted in parts of the village and Cleethorpes being darkened by a cloud of smoke.

In days gone by stubble-burning was common practice, but it is now illegal because of the pollution it causes.

There have been claims that the blaze that occurred on harvested wheatfields off South Sea Lane in  Humberston may have been caused by arson.

The fields are easy to access via the highway, or more surreptitiously, through the former Tertia Trust holiday site - a favourite habitat of vandals and ne'er-do-wells.

Alternatively, it may be that the fire was caused by a carelessly discarded cigarette butt or ignition from sunshine through a fragment of broken glass.

The fire attracted sightseers whose cars made it tricky for firefighting vehicles to access some of the points from where they could best tackle the flames.

Although there were slight fears that the fire might spread to caravan sites and even homes on the outskirts of Humberston, these worries proved to be unfounded. 

TRAVELLERS SEEM IN NO HURRY TO LEAVE CLEETHORPES PARK

Haverstoe Park at 9.30am today

A group of  Travellers who set up camp in a Cleethorpes park late last month have decided to stay put for the time being.

North East Lincolnshire Council has so fair failed to persuade the dozen or so families to vacate Haverstoe Park.

The problem is partly of the authority's making - after two decades, it has still failed in its duty to provide a designated for the travelling community.

One concern is that the grassy amenity area where the vehicles are parked may be churned to mud following recent heavy rain.

It is thought the families might move on for this Friday's Brigg Fair - a favourite meeting for  Travellers.

Haverstoe ward's three councillors - Keith Brookes, Margaret Cracknell and Bill Parkinson - are being kept updated on the situation.