YES OR NO? CRUNCH DECISION LOOMS ON PROPOSED GRIMSBY TOWN CENTRE REVAMP

Drab and devoid of greenery - the streetscape at the western end of Victoria Street

               

A CRUNCH decision is due to be made tomorrow on the proposed revamp of an important part of Grimsby town centre.

North East Lincolnshire Council and the owners of Freshney Place had hoped for a grant of £25-million to rebuild the market hall and create a range of units to accommodate a cinema, restaurants and other amenities at the western end of Victoria Street.

But only £17.28-million has been allocated by Whitehall - well short of the monies required.

The two parties - and the architects - are now frantically trying to cobble together a cut-price substitute project in time for the deadline of February 26.

Whitehall is stipulating that the "key objectives" of the scheme  must remain - that is to achieve "transformational change, be leisure-led and provide value for money". 

At a meeting of cabinet tomorrow evening, members are expected to confirm commitment to the project.

To pull out now would bring loss-of-face, reputational damage  and the prospective loss of of more than £17-million funding - potentially the highest grant ever awarded to the authority.

But to proceed also brings  risks. 

Redevelopment will create substantial disruption, with no guarantees that any of the proposed new leisure units will be taken up.

And would it be fair to allow existing restaurateurs - or cinema operators - to be undercut by grant-financed competitors? 

A more prudent - and perhaps braver - option might be for NELC and Freshney Place chiefs  to let  their grant bid to lapse and allow traditional market forces to determine, in the fullness of time, whether the revamp should proceed.

There is another snag. Some properties, not owned by either of the parties, are earmarked for demolition as part of the project.            

If the buildings' owners are not prepared to play ball, that could lead to all sorts of expensive and time-consuming legal wrangling.

NELC is not the only authority facing this sort quandary. A total of 57 other towns have been offered grants of lower amounts than those they sought.                                              

Functional but unattractive - will Devonshire House scowl over the proposed redevelopment?

The Grimsby News says: Unfortunately for them, the partners are now firmly in "wing-and-a-prayer" territory with this project. The prospect of such a huge grant is too juicy to ignore, but, with the clock running down, can they come up with a scheme that lives up to the aspirations of them, the local community and Whitehall? The biggest risk is that they will come up with a bits-and-pieces fudge that makes this part of town even more unlovely than it is at present. A helluva lot of creativity and imagination is needed. Best of luck to all involved!