German supermarket chain now spearheading plans to redevelop former Pleasure Island theme park

Lichfields has unveiled new artist's impressions of how the revamp might look 

IT  has emerged that German discount retailer Lidl is now lead developer in the consortium seeking to splash out £66-million on redeveloping Cleethorpes' former Pleasure Island theme park.

The expanding supermarket chain is flush with cash for capital development.

Just this week, it announced that annual profits from its 918 UK stores reached £41-million - more than 300 per cent higher than a year earlier.

In advance of submitting a formal planning  application to North East Lincolnshire Council, possibly next month, Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners, the consortium's planning consultancy, will be seeking endorsement from the public on the principle of redevelopment of the 54-acre site.

There have been revisions to the concept first unveiled way back before the Covid lockdown.

The proposed number of static caravans - or 'high quality lodges'   - has increased to  272, and the fuel station idea seems to have been ditched in favour of an amusement arcade.

The supermarket is still high-profile, and there may be an adjacent garden centre.

There will also be two other food and drink outlets plus a Costa drive-thru coffee shop.

Crucially, a 148-bed hotel with conference  centre and a casino is still part of the package as (additionally or alternatively) is a smaller 74-bed hotel with ground-floor restaurant and bar.

It seems that the existing lake will be retained, but for angling, not watersports, as originally envisaged. There will also be a cycle-hire facility.

To counter concerns about loss of trees and shrubs,  Lichfields says many more will be planted.

It comments: "Tree retention, extensive new tree planting of native species, wild flora and wetland planting will combine to provide a coherent, dramatic and natural setting for all parts of the scheme. 

 

"A network of cycle and pedestrian routes will provide safe and convenient access to all of the proposed uses across the site whilst improving the strong connecting link with the seafront.

 

"Natural play areas will be set around the lodge areas, with access provided via meandering pedestrian routes along grass paths mown through meadow areas." 

Also members of the consortium are Cleethorpes-based Seaside Getaways Ltd, Fab2 Ltd and Projex.