Twelve trees set for chop as planners give green light for change of use of former Scartho hotel

New chapter set to open in life of Victorian villa

A TOTAL of  12 trees are likely to be lost as  a result of proposed conversion of The Beeches Hotel in Scartho to seven self-contained flats and two additional dwellings plus garden area.

The doomed trees include yew, holly, plum, ash, elder and cotoneaster.

However, it is hoped that a further 11 - nine yew and two pines - will be retained.

The proposal submitted by Helen Warman, of Scartho-based Kanso Property Investments, was today given the green light by North East Lincolnshire which believes her initiative will breathe new life  into the long-empty property which, following the closure of The Beeches, traded as The Manor House restaurant.

There was one objection from a nearby resident who wrote: "This used to be a quiet village but with all the developments going on at Scartho Top, I really do not see the need for yet more development on my doorstep.

"This is or used to be a quaint little village, but it is now turning into a housing estate.

"There are many elderly residents who have lived here all there lives, and they do not need any more youths hanging around in the area.

"Also,  the crime rate in this area is escalating - maybe due to more housing being erected. Our properties are being devalued as a consequence.

"Why is our MP not stopping this instead of cutting ribbons for more developments?

"Please, please please, no! No!"

Before its previous life as a well-regarded hotel and restaurant, the brick-built Victorian property was home to St Andrew's Hospice until it moved to purpose-built premises in the 1990s.

A condition of the planning consent is  that plants to be incorporated into the landscaping scheme  shall be adequately maintained for 10 years, beginning with the date of completion of the scheme.

During that period, all losses shall be replaced during the next planting season. 

An exception to this shall be the retention and adequate maintenance of the proposed hedging to the car park fronting Waltham Road which stall be retained for the lifetime of the development at a height of no less than 1.5m in height.