SURVEY UNEARTHS 'LITTLE OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL INTEREST' IN CLEETHORPES FIELD

           

 Strawberry Fields for ever - the proposed new development 

A QUEST for buried dinosaur bones and other relics of yesteryear opposite the Tesco superstore in  Cleethorpes has drawn a blank.

The firm, Allen Archaeology, was commissioned to survey the field off Hewitts Circus  prior to construction starting on a proposed housing estate.

Parts of Cleethorpes and Grimsby are rich in Anglo-Saxon and/ or prehistoric remains, but, alas, this field yielded next to nought.

Says the report: "The survey has identified very little of potential archaeological interest."

It is not thought much digging was undertaken, the experts preferring to use hi-tec equipment to measure 'magnetic noise'.

The report continues: "The non-intrusive survey methodology employed was appropriate to the scale and nature of the site to be surveyed, and has revealed a low archaeological potential for the site." 

The report was commissioned by YPG Developments Ltd which, earlier this summer, successfully appealed to an independent inspector to overrule North East Lincolnshire Council's refusal to grant planning permission for 86 houses and flats.

The independent inspector deemed NELC's decision "unreasonable" and ruled that the authority should pay Liverpool-based YPG's costs - potentially a £20,000-plus bill for the council taxpayer.

However, it is in the interests of both parties to remain amicable  given that YPG is part of a consortium that will soon be seeking planning consent to redevelop Pleasure Island in Cleethorpes.

The new housing development  is to be known as Strawberry Fields - one of the favourites tracks of  YPG boss Ming Yeung, a longstanding fan of The Beatles. 

                                                        

Above and below - artist's impressions of the proposed new homes 

The Grimsby News says: According to the conclusions of the site investigation, "very little" of potential archaeological interest was identified. This is disappointingly vague. It would surely have been useful if the author had been more precise firstly about what of interest had been detected and secondly what, if anything, will become of it."