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| Since the demise of the theme park, Nature has flourished at Pleasure Island |
THERE has been a boost for the consortium of businessmen seeking to redevelop the former Pleasure Island theme park in Cleethorpes.
They have been told there is no requirement for there to be a full Environmental Impact Assessment of their ambitious project.
Such a stipulation would have been time-consuming and expensive - it would have involved an in-depth survey of the extent to which habitat, plus birds, bats and other wildlife, will be displaced when the bulldozers move in.
North East Lincolnshire Council's ecology officer Rachel Graham initially insisted that an EIA was essential.
But following apparent pressure from agents of the consortium, she has had a change of heart.
In her latest comment on the proposal, she writes: "I am satisfied that my concerns regarding the EIA will be addressed through the planning application process.
"Therefore, I am satisfied that an EIA is not required."
In a separate development, the Grimsby News has learned that NELC has declined a request by a resident for a preservation order to be placed on the Pleasure Island trees to save them from being felled.
To recap on the Pleasure Island redevelopment project, it aims to "develop leisure, retail, food and drink and holiday accommodation uses following demolition of all existing structures".
Proposed holiday accommodation will comprise 31 eight-bed and 219 ten-bed lodges alongside a reception building and electric cycle rental building.
Further down the pipeline will be the following:
* A new hotel accommodating 148 bedrooms, conference centre and casino
* Two food & drink units
* A leisure unit over two floors
* A discount foodstore (to be occupied by Lidl)
* A non-food retail unit and garden centre)
*A petrol filling station
* A drive-thru coffee shop
* A new water sports building comprising three refurbished shipping containers to facilitate the use of the existing lake for non-motorised water sports.
The consortium partners are: Lidl GB Ltd, YPG FAB 2 Ltd, Seaside Getaways Ltd and Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd.
Subject to no overriding Environment Agency objections regarding flood risk, they could be in a position to submit a full planning application later this month.
The Grimsby News says: The redevelopment of Pleasure Island is to be welcomed, but not at the expense of the natural environment. Many trees, shrubs, flowers, songbirds and bats will be lost for ever, and there are no proposals to compensate for this loss. By waiving the requirement for an Environmental Impact Assessment, NELC's planning department - now run by Engie - has disregarded its statutory duty to safeguard biodiversity. Too often, businessmen and politicians pay lip service to Nature - until it gets in the way. At which point, it is summarily eradicated.
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