Consortium seeking to build 3,500 homes in Freshney Valley pledges to safeguard wildlife and landscape

                                                                 

Is this the future for the Freshney Valley? The image above reflects the sort of development favoured by the Harworth Group. 

THE consortium seeking to build some 3,500 new homes close to the River Freshney has pledged to safeguard and enhance the existing wildlife and landscape.

The Rotherham-based Harworth Group, along with local management company M.F. Strawson Ltd  and planning consultants Pegasus, are eager  to develop the leafy outskirts of west Grimsby.

Their 'vision' is for 3,500 new homes, two community centres, sports fields, a primary school and a new road to  connect the A46 Grimsby Road, Aylesby Road, and the A1136 Great Coates Road.

The trouble for the consortium is that their 'vision' is not one shared by many people in this part of Grimsby who dislike the prospect of countryside near their homes being urbanised.

However, the consortium insists it will provide compensation in the form of a 'Freshney Valley country park' which will "will look to create a mosaic of different landscape types".

It says these will include:

* Woodland 

* Grassland 

* Wildflower meadow 

* Wetland meadow 

* Ponds, swales and water features 

* Scrub 

* Parks and squares

It states: "A new Freshney Valley Country Park will be created that will protect the  chalk stream with a protective buffer which will include a wildflower meadow and native planting. 

"The creation of a two-stage river channel with vegetated riparian and marginal habitats will provide improvements for both flora and fauna. The existing widths of the river channel will be retained and its water quality protected.

"The creation of additional ponds and wetland meadow will also attract more wildlife and improve overall biodiversity. Improved footpaths and opportunity for natural play will seek to achieve the right balance between nature and public access."

The so-called Grimsby West project has been in the pipeline for a couple of years, and now the consortium is determined to make it a reality.

In advance of submitting a planning application in the New Year, it is currently in the process of distributing promotional leaflets (with feedback form) to households which might be affected.

It will also hold a public consultation exercise at the  Pelham Suite on Cambridge Road between 4pm and 7.30pm on December 3. 

The Freshney Valley - the prospective developers say they will create a "mosaic of different landscape types"'

                             

The yellow areas are where the new homes are proposed

The layout of the proposed country park