'Rail visitors to Cleethorpes expect to see the beach and pier - not a line of fast food trailers!'

Planning officer says trailer would 'clutter' North Prom

THERE  has been a setback for a trader who has been keen to operate  a trailer, selling  both hot and cold food, on North Promenade in Cleethorpes.

His application to site The Yummy Truck near the railway station has been refused  consent after a senior planner  at North East Lincolnshire Council deemed that it would "cause harm to the character of the area".

The proposal had sparked several objections, some from other food traders who expressed fears that further competition would put their own livelihoods at risk.

In a submission to NELC, one objector wrote: "The promenade already has an extensive range of food and drink permanent establishments and does not require another unit selling hot food or icecream.

"Visitors to Cleethorpes that arrive by train expect to see the beach and pier, not a line of fast food trailers.

In her report, explaining her decision, NELC case officer Bethany Loring writes: "It is felt that the introduction of another concession space, with a trailer of this nature, would create a cluttered feel along this section of North Promenade especially when viewed in conjunction with the existing operators. 

"The site is also close to the Grade II Listed Buildings, associated with the railway station, positioned to the southeast and west. 

"This clutter and intrusion on the open aspect of the promenade is considered harmful to the visual amenity of the area. 

"Whilst the physical area would be relatively limited, the cumulative impact of the introduction of a further concession within this area would be considered detrimental to the character of the area. 

"As such it is not considered that the design of the proposal is acceptable and would cause harm to the character of the area."  

                                                    

North Prom on a wet and windy day earlier this week

It's beginning to look a lot like appeasement! Auditorium agrees to animal rights group's demands

                                                                 

Grimsby Auditorium - is the management fearful of animal rights activists? 

PRESSURE from an animal rights organisation has prompted the Grimsby Auditorium to agree to withdraw the sale of pork-containing products at a show next month.

The touring production of Peppa Pig is due to be staged at the auditorium on March 3 and March 4.

The organisation, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, maintains it is inappropriate to sell pork snacks at an event where pigs are presented as cute and cuddly.

Perhaps fearing the show might be disrupted by activists, the auditorium  management has acceded to the group in the same way as was done last year by organisers of the Chichester Festival.

So far, management at the auditorium and its operators, Lincs Inspire, have been sheepish about commenting on the pork-and Peppa  issue, but say they will be taking the requested action because they want to be "considerate".                                  

The letter sent to the Auditorium by PETA

A scene from the forthcoming production

NELC poised to hike council tax by 2.99 per cent (plus add-on precept) at town hall budget meeting

                                             

Grimsby Town Hall where councillors are likely to approve council tax rise at meeting next week 

HOUSEHOLDERS in North East Lincolnshire face a council tax increase of 2.99 per cent in the forthcoming financial year.

In addition be a two per cent supplementary contribution towards adult social care.

The measures are likely to be rubber-stamped next week at a full council meeting in Grimsby Town Hall.

The increase would have been higher had it not for a pledge from Whitehall that all local authorities will benefit from a 6.1 per cent in grant aid to help pay for services.

A report to the meeting states: "Continued transformation and targeted change are  essential to ensure the council achieves the right outcomes and maintains financial sustainability over the medium term, particularly in adult social care where both demand and complexity are increasing."

The document also carries a note on ongoing capital projects such as redevelopment schemes in Grimsby's Top Town and on Cleethorpes seafront of Freshney Place which, despite Whitehall funding, have required substantial NELC investment.

It insists these are being "kept under regular review to ensure alignment with current priorities and ongoing viability, particularly in relation to corporate financing costs". 

The report concludes: "Despite a range of social, economic, and demand-related challenges, the administration remains focused on achieving financial sustainability by harnessing the area’s economic potential, expanding the local tax base and delivering efficient, affordable public services."

Olympic javelin-throwing medallist of 1980s was inspirational speaker at Blundell Park conference

                                                      

Former Olympic medal-winning javelin thrower Fatima Whitbread MBE was recent guest at Blundell Park, Cleethorpes, to give a talk to teachers, child pyschologists and others concerned with the welfare and development of children, especially those from difficult backgrounds. Ms Whitbread (64), who won a silver medal at the 1988 Olympics, was abandoned as a baby and spent the first 14 years of her life in institutions with other traumatised children. But by dint of perseverance, she became a great international athlete of the 1980s and, since her retirement from competition in 1992, has championed the cause of children in seeking to achieve their their goals. 

NELC's cabinet backs proposal for 150-place Grimsby school for children with special learning challenges

'Best way forward' - Cllr Cracknell (left) and NELC's director of children's services, Ann-Marie Matson

PLANS for a new school on the site of former high-rise flats off Freeman Street in Grimsby are being backed by North East Lincolnshire Council's cabinet.

The proposed school will be for up to 150 pupils with special needs.

Welcoming the endorsement, portfolio holder for children and education Margaret Cracknell said: "We know how many families in our area and across the country struggle to find appropriate education settings to support their children.

 "In Cabinet, we agreed that plans for a  school for children with social, emotional and mental health challenges in North East Lincolnshire are the best way forward."

Meanwhile, NELC's leader, Cllr Philip Jackson, commented: "This is not just an opportunity to support a group of children who will benefit from a new school, but also offers the possibility of prompting wider regeneration.

"A development like this creates skilled jobs and increases the number of people in that part of town thereby supporting local businesses."

The development is subject to planning consent which may prove a challenge given that the site is vulnerable to flood risk - with £2.2-2.3-million required to reduce the threat.

Assuming the venture goes ahead, capital costs funding would come partly from NELC and partly from Whitehall.

* At the same cabinet meeting, members agreed to invest in new electric cremators at Grimsby Crematorium and to press ahead with a scheme for a new bus station (to be known as a 'transport hub' - it sounds grander) off Osborne Street, Grimsby. 

The site off Freeman Street which has been earmarked for a new school

Grimsby and Cleethorpes MP in new blast at Corporation Road Bridge repairs delays

                                             

Melanie Onn: 'It's an absolute disgrace' 

GRIMSBY and Cleethorpes MP Melanie Onn has again vented her fury at what has become known as the "Corporation Road Bridge fiasco".

In her monthly question-and-answer session on the social media platform, Facebook, she fumed: "My goodness, what an absolute disgrace - the amount of money that has gone down the drain on this project is ridiculous."

The MP said she had been disturbed to be told that repairs had been delayed "for months"because staff employed by the original contractor had been working on other projects elsewhere.

Since then, a new contractor has been appointed by North East Lincolnshire Council, but there is still no word on the likely reopening date, nor on the prospective size of the final bill.

Ms Onn noted that the repairs were being funded largely by NELC and Whitehall and that "public money was hard to come by".

Her understanding was that NELC was seeking reimbursement for some of its expenditure but she had no further detail on this.

She said  that, henceforth, there should be no "wriggle room for delays".

"There has to be appropriate scrutiny and management," she insisted.

* During the 30-minute Q&A session, the MP confirmed that she had attended this week's  meeting of  Labour MPs and had given her support to Sir Keir Starmer continuing as Prime Minister for the sake of stability.

Suspected Monkey Pox case in patient at Grimsby care home proved to be false alarm

A SUSPECTED case of  Mpox (Monkey Pox) in a Grimsby care home turned out to be a false alarm.

The scare occurred when the elderly male resident, though otherwise well, presented with a widespread rash.

Mpox was first identified in laboratory monkeys in 1958, with the first human case occurring in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 

Since then it has spready globally with a particular surge in 2022. However, it is very rare in the UK.

The flu-like symptoms and rash are unpleasant but the condition is usually 'self-limiting' - it clears up after a few weeks.

A report on the Grimsby 'case' states: "There were no known factors that would have suggested that this patient, nor anyone else in, or associated with, the care home was a plausible risk for Mpox. 

"Despite epidemiology suggesting that Mpox was highly unlikely, four independent clinicians raised concerns and so the patient was admitted to a hospital isolation unit for further investigation. 

"He remained in hospital for an extended period due to  swabs being missed and late reported results.

"Unfortunately, he went on to acquire a healthcare associated infecton, HCAI, extending his admission further.

"Results eventually confirmed the absence of Mpox, and a diagnosis of viral rash was given."

The report goes on  identify a number of concerns about the case including: 

• Timeliness of testing and results 

• Communication challenges between involved agencies 

• Primary Care response to care home patients 

The case was circulated to the wider health system and review meetings took place with partner agencies in order to understand and share learning points and identify any potential issues in the system with regards to the Mpox response.

10-bedroomed hotel close to Cleethorpes seafront put up for sale

                                                             

The Kristina Hotel - agents say it has 'potential' for conversion to other uses 

A 10-bedroomed Cleethorpes hotel has been put up for sale.

The Kristina is on Queen's Parade and close to the seafront.

Agents Jackson, Green & Preston say the majority of the 10 bedrooms are en suite. There is a car park to the rear of the property off Oxford Street.

The semi-detached property is described as having (subject to planning consent) potential for conversion to a family home, to individual flats or to a house in multiple occupation.

The asking price is £325,00.

Work set to start next month on Cleethorpes amenity building - so long as sums add up

                                                         

Tests have been ongoing to ensure the ground is capable of holding a three-storey building with utilities capacity

WORK is scheduled to start next month on construction of the amenity building proposed for the site of the demolished Waves pub on the corner of Sea Road and Central Promenade.

So long as a price can be agreed, the prospective contractor is long-established Lincoln-based Lindum  which has taken over from JemBuild. 

The project has been long delayed, For anyone who might have forgotten, the proposal is for a "three-storey building comprising public amenities and a changing facility as well as commercially lettable space across all floors".

However, it is still not clear whether any prospective tenants have yet been signed up to take spaces.   

NELC is not revealing anything  save to say that the building, when completed, "may include different providers in retail and hospitality". 

During the long lull since activity, further tests have been carried out on the ground to establish that it is of sufficient integrity to accommodate a relatively large building.

So far, £1.4-million has already been spent, out of a budget of  £6-1-million,  on design, planning and  preliminary works.

The proposed completion date is March next year, but is this projection optimistic given that the council acknowledges that there are some challenges ahead?

It lists these as: 

• Certainty required on design, legal position and costings to enable start on site 

• Support from NELC's own planning and highways colleagues

• Co-ordination of design and construction with the adjacent Pier Gardens project

• Aligning project cost with procurement requirements.

Perhaps the main concern is that, after having done the arithmetic, Lindum may decide that the budget is insufficient to make the project profitable, prompting them to pull out.

Time will tell.

Film review: how bird of prey helped give shape to life of woman numbed by grief at loss of her dad

                                                             

The film movingly explores the bond between a college lecturer and a Goshawk 

THERE has been quite a bit of buzz locally about the film H is for Hawk which is currently screening at the Parkway cinema in Cleethorpes.

It explores how  acquiring and training  a hawk (which she names, Mabel - from the Latin, amabilis, meaning lovable) becomes the obsession  of Helen Macdonald, a lecturer at Jesus College, Cambridge.

In some strange way, the bird seems to provide an anchor to her life following the sudden death from heart failure of her much-loved father, Alisdair, a photographer with the Daily Mirror.

The action is based on the true story recounted in a book of the same title by Helen who co-produced the film.

It has to be said that many parts of the book are heavy going.

The film, by contrast, is tightly-edited and crisp.

The movie is also more successful in exploring both the touchingly tender bond between daughter and her father (it survives just as strongly after his death) and her warm, but less affectionate, relationship with her mother and brother.

There is some fine acting in the supporting roles, notably by Lindsay Duncan, as  the mother, but it is the performance of Claire Foy as Helen Macdonald which really excels - not least  because, to fit the role, she had to learn to engage with a live Goshawk, a large and energetic prey with fierce bills and talon.

There is a rough honesty about how Helen is portrayed. Far from being a paragon of tenderness she has plenty of ragged edges - she is self-centred, chain-smokes, swears  and  plays rap music at top volume in her late father’s car where she seems careless at the wheel.

With,  a somewhat slovenly approach to life and slightly cruel laugh, this character is not someone you would necessarily want as a reliable friend.

But  it is impossible not to sympathise with and admire a woman trapped in grief and loneliness, yet simultaneously able to find an anchor in her  life through  her affection towards a bird that in no way can reciprocate.

Looking at the credits, the extent of  female involvement in the making of the film is conspicuous, and, perhaps in a nod to diversity, even the GP who diagnoses Helen’s depression is changed from a man in the book to a black woman in the film.

Plaudits to the director, Philippa Lowthorpe, who ensures the narrative is taut and almost entirely free of sentimentality apart from one moment when the Goshawk seems to be casting a tender eye on its owner as she sleeps.

Also creditable is a lecture hall sequence, late in the film,  which explores the ethics of hunting with raptors and whether, as in times gone by, there might today be a role for interaction between humankind and birds as an alternative to watching them with detachment from afar.

It should be noted that though the theme is underscored throughout by grief, the message is emphatically not one of despair. 

The last word, spoken in a flashback sequence as Helen’s father asks her to pose for a picture is: "Smile".

And before the credits roll, we see on screen (and are invited to interpret) the words written in 1373 in  Revelations of Divine Love by the ascetic, Julian of Norwich  (1343-1416): "All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well". 

What happened to the Goshawk, for which Helen had paid £800? 

It is not revealed in the film, but according to the book, the bird "flew for many more seasons before a sudden untreatable infection with aspergillosis - airborne fungus - carried her from her aviary to the dark woods where dwell the lost and dead."   

Oil painting of old Grimsby trawler expected to fetch bids of up to £100 at Scarborough auction

                                                                     

Paintings of old Grimsby steam trawlers are not scarce but those of high quality invariably attract the interest of bidders when they come up for sale. According to Scarborough auction  house David Duggleby, this oil-on-canvas by Keith Baldock of Black Watch is expected to   go under the hammer for between £50 and £100 at its art sale on Thursday February 12.

Controversial proposal for 154 homes on outskirts of Waltham continuing to divide local opinion

                                                         

Plenty of greenery - artist's impression of proposed development 

UNCERTAINTY continues to surround a longstanding proposal for construction of 154 homes on land to the south-west of Cheapside in Waltham.

It was back in 2023 that  M.F, Strawson and Carr & Carr Builders submitted their plans which seems not to have gone down well with neighbours, many of whom have expressed concerns about pressure on infrastructure and 'overdevelopment'.

There have since been amendments to the proposed layout, landscaping and house designs but there is still opposition.

Among those expressing concern is North East Lincolnshire Council's heritage officer, Louise Jennings, who has confirmed  her abiding misgivings about the potentially adverse visual impact on the setting of Waltham windmill which is Grade II Listed.

Although she acknowledges the developers have sought to minimise the impact, she believes the mitigation offered is insufficient.

However, it needs to be stated that there are some who regard the designs and layout as attractive.

They have also welcomed the fact that no more than 154 houses are proposed for a site allocated in the Local Plan to accommodate 200. 

The revised scheme is under consideration by North East Lincolnshire Council planners.

                                                                     

Layout of the proposed development

The roof can bear the extra weight so Aldi plans to install solar panels at its Telford Park store

 

Up to 170 solar panels could be installed on the roof of the showcase Aldi foodstore at Telford Park in Grimsby. The company has verified the integrity of the roof to carry the additional weight, and its agents have applied for planning consent from North East Lincolnshire Council.

Decision imminent on proposal for new Grimsby school for 150 children with special educational needs

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The site earmarked for a school for children with special educational needs

A DECISION is expected very soon on a proposal to build in Grimsby a 150-pupil school for children with social, emotional and mental health needs.

If North East Lincolnshire Council backs the project, the allocated site is the vacant land off Freeman Street that was formerly occupied by tower blocks of flats. 

Whitehall would pay for the majority of the construction costs - estimated at about £3-million - but NELC would need to borrow £2.3-million for enabling works such as land acquisition (from the Lincolnshire Housing Partnership), remediation of the brownfield site, flood risk mitigation, design and  highways works. 

An alternative option offered by the Government is to award a £7-million grant to pay for various  smaller-scale projects to create  specialist resources and  places in mainstream schools across the borough.

At least in the short term, the alternative looks more financially advantageous.

But the council's own education chiefs favour the new school option because long-term it would save the huge costs currently incurred by the authority in paying for and taxi-ing disadvantaged pupils - currently 169 - to placements outside the borough.

This would also help to breathe new life into a brownfield site that has long been identified as ripe for regeneration.

It is understood the cabinet will make a decision later this month.

If they plump for the new school option, the likelihood is that, following its opening, probably in 2028, it would be run by Wellspring Academy Trust which has been in talks with the council.

Grimsby and Cleethorpes MP Melanie Onn is reported to favour construction of a new school. 

The Grimsby News says: Building a brand new school, then farming it out to an academy trust, would be the easy option for NELC - but would it be the right one for the children? Surely it would be  better for provision to be made for them to be educated alongside their friends and peers in existing schools where they remain part of a community that is familiar to them. In the proposed special school, they would inevitably be stigmatised as 'different' to the likely detriment of their long-term development and prospects. And by what thinking would anyone believe a school should be located  in this depressing part of Grimsby where there is hardly a tree or shrub in sight and where no birds sing? Research shows that pupils - and staff - are far happier where they work in a setting  surrounded by nature rather than by concrete, traffic and urban sprawl. 

Parts of North Promenade under water as high tides and easterly winds batter Cleethorpes seafront

                                                  

The north end of Cleethorpes' North Promenade today took an early-morning battering as easterly winds whipped up the high tide. It certainly provided quite a spectacle for those motorists who didn't mind their cars taking a saltwater soaking.   

                                                         

                                                                         

Financial squeeze puts council on course to overspend its budget unless savings can be found

 

FINANCIAL pressures are continuing to bear down on North East Lincolnshire Council.

Unless savings can be found within the next three months, the authority is on course to overspend its annual budget by some £700,000.

An update on NELC's financial position states: "This reflects the ongoing complex social environment in which we operate.  

"Social care cost pressures continue significantly to affect the overall financial forecast. 

"In Children's Services, notwithstanding the continued positive transformation, key challenges persist around education transport and high-cost out-of-area placements. 

"Furthermore, Adult Social Care is experiencing rising demand for long-term support placements, as well as short-stay and support at home care packages." 

The report continues: "The council continues to face financial pressures in relation to reclaiming full housing benefit subsidies from accommodation providers that do not meet Department of Work and Pensionscriteria for full cost recovery, primarily driven by a rise in unregistered providers." 

Like all local authorities, NELC also faces pay and inflationary pressures.

Its various departments are continually being urged to "monitor budgets to ensure both effective service delivery and financial sustainability".   

In addition, the council's pipeline of ambitious redevelopment projects is said to be "under ongoing review"  to ensure they "reflect current priorities and remain viable".

The report notes that, nine months into the financial year, 79.3 per cent of council tax has been collected. This is almost exactly as for the same period last year.

Revamp project means Pier Gardens will be closed - starting next Tuesday - for more than a year

                             

Bird's eye view of how part of  revamped Pier Gardens might look (Image: NELC)

PIER Gardens is to be fenced and closed off for 15 months while it undergoes a long-delayed £7.9-million refurbishment.

This was confirmed today by North East Lincolnshire Council.

Following a protacted bidding process, the contract has been awarded to Maylim, a London-based civil engineering firm with special expertise in paving. 

Previous projects undertaken by the company have mostly been in the capital but at least one in Birmingham.

The man in charge in Cleethorpes will be Tom Taylor, who enthuses: "The plans aim to make a beautiful space that people will want to spend time in."

Will there be jobs for local people?

Insists Mr Taylor: "We want to work with the community by creating local employment and businesses opportunities.

"There will also be a series of events to engage the whole community."

The scheme - which will see the loss of some lawns and shrubs to paving - has not been entirely welcomed in Cleethorpes, but NELC leader Cllr Philip Jackson says: "It's time for a change."

                                 

An uncertain future beckons for the long-established lawns and shrubs in Pier Gardens

                                 

No precious coins or jewellery found, but Top Town dig yields important clues about medieval Grimsby

                                            

All very interesting - the dig has revealed new clues about the Grimsby of yesteryear

AN archaelogical dig has opened a window into the life and times medieval Grimsby.

No buried gold, silver or gems have been found, but experts from York Archaeology have scooped up  remnants from scraps of leather shoes to potery and fish bones  at Grimsby’s Freshney Place redevelopment site, near the historical Flottergate area.

The excavation has been undertaken  about two to three metres  lower than the modern ground level and is thought to have been the probable ground level of Grimsby in medieval times (approximately 450AD to 1600AD).

The finds - made between last October and this week - seem to confirm that this part of town was once home to  a leather workshop.

Says Phil Moore of dig co-ordinators BWB Consulting: "The wet nature of this site means that there was always the potential for finding preserved organic material - wood or leather, for example.

"You may think that damp conditions would cause these to rot away, but the soil can actually contain very little oxygen, which stops the microorganisms that prompt decomposition from surviving here."

Louise Jennings, North East Lincolnshire Council's heritage officer, has welcome the discoveries.

"You could well imagine people of the time making leather aprons or shoes on the site.

"Being so close to the sea, it’s understandable that people would have fish and shellfish as part of their diet, so the appearance of oyster shells and fish bones isn’t surprising.

The items found have been removed to York Archaeology’s conservation laboratory for cleaning and further examination, with a view to them being returned to the town and  put on display in the future.

Cllr Hayden Dawkins, NELC's portfolio holder for tourism and heritage, comments: "This is wonderful to see - knowing that a whole world is right under our feet is truly fascinating.

"It is so important that we understand our past and have the ability to teach younger generations about how the Grimsby of today came about."

NELC says 10-week revamp of site in Grimsby will create more welcoming area for pedestrians

    

Refurbishment project will see installation of a maze

WORK has begun on a 10-week project to spruce-up a triangle  of vacant  land between New Cartergate and Frederick Ward Way in Grimsby.

The first phase involve the installation of  new paving, public seating, street furniture, soft landscaping a ground-level maze and CCTV.

To allow the team from contractors Specialist Surfacing Ltd to work safely,  five parking bays on the east side of New Cartergate are being temporarily suspended. 

However, vehicle access for residents and businesses is being maintained at all times, along with access to the seven parking bays on the west side of New Cartergate and the footpath to the bridge over the River Freshney.

The second phase is due to  take place during the school holidays, from Monday 16 February to Friday 20 February, and will involve the installation and realignment of four tactile pedestrian crossings at the corners of Lord Street and Cartergate.

Says a North East Lincolnshire Council: "The works will transform an overgrown and underused space in the heart of the town into a safer, more welcoming area for residents and visitors to utilise."

Pier Gardens has become winter camping refuge for rough sleepers with nowhere else to call home

                                                     

A sad early-February sight on Cleethorpes is the increase in distressed individuals who are having to sleep rough in tents on Cleethorpes seafront becaus they have nowhere else to call home. Just over the past  few days these two tents have appeared in Pier Gardens ahead of its proposed revamp later this year.  

                                                                          

Proposal to extend hotel still on hold following objections from Environment Agency and Anglian Water

                                                   

Flood risk is among the issues holding up plans to extend the Premier Inn

JUST over 12 months after it submitted an application to extend its Premier Inn in Cleethorpes, owners Whitbread are still awaiting a planning decision.

The proposal is to demolish the former Brewers Fayre restaurant in favour of a three-storey accommodation block, smaller restaurant and bar.

However, the main stumbling blocks to consent has been an objection from the Environment Agency pending submission of an "acceptable" flood risk assessement given the site's proximity to the Buck Beck.

Earlier this month such an assessment was supplied by the applicant but the EA has not yet said whether the assessment meets it concerns.

Meanwhile, an objection has also been sounded by Anglian Water because there is a 1600mm  sewer crossing the site and within the curtilage of the proposed building

It says any extension to the hotel needs to be "located in areas of public open space and/or adoptable highways to ensure on-going maintenance and access is possible". 

The applicaton remains under consideration by North East Lincolnshire Council planners.

Just what the kiddies ordered - springtime date at Grimsby Auditorium for Peppa Pig and family

                                                         

It's destination Grimsby for Peppa Pig and family. The show based on the animated TV characters is coming to the auditorium on March 3 and March 4 as part of a UK tour which began last night in Llandudno and ends in Tunbridge Wells on May 4. More details from peppapiglivecom 

                                                              

Fancy that! Green bin waste collected in North East Lincolnshire over year weighs sames as 400 whales!

 

A much valued service - binmen on the go

AN update on recycling in North East Lincolnshire has revealed that residents have recycled 24,050 tonnes of plastic, cans, cardboard, paper and glass over the past 12 months

This is almost 4,000 tonnes more than last year and weighs the same as around 8 million bricks!

Throughout 2025, bottles, cans, glass, cardboard and paper were recycled in the blue and grey bins. 

From empty bottles at New Year’s Eve parties to the mayhem of wrapping paper at Christmas, everything adds up.

Additionally, 42,000 tonnes of waste was collected in the green bins throughout the year – the equivalent weight of  around 400 blue whales.

Developers keen to press ahead with 3,500-homes project on farmland alongside River Freshney

Enough land to accommodate a village - but is that desirable?

CRUNCH time looms for  the controversial proposal to create a new suburban village on farmland outside Grimsby.

A planning application has now been submitted to build up to 3,500 homes on land between the A1136 and  A46 roads to the west of the town.

Agents for the project state: "The site is a relatively modest area within the extensive Lincolnshire Coast and Marshes.

"The scheme has the potential to bring benefits to this overall area including increased biodiversity, a softer edge to the development edge to Grimsby with large woodland blocks and creation of a country park along the Freshney Valley.

"Creation of a mosaic of different landscape types including woodland, grassland and wetland are part of overall green infrastructure proposals."

A tree survey has identified 113 individual trees and 44 groups/hedges. 

Of these, just sixteen trees/groups were identified as for retention - one of them being a mature elm which is acknowledged as having "elevated arboricultural value".

The survey has also identified a large mature ash tree  as being of "great value to the site".

Of the birds recorded in surveys carried out in summer, autumn and winter, the most interesting were Little Owl, Barn Owl, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Curlew (up to 27) and Golden Plover (up to 203).

There is a recommendation that areas of open grassland could be managed to allow a taller sward to create nesting habitat for Skylarks and Meadow Pipits. 

It is thought that the grassland areas would also provide foraging areas for Starling, Curlew, Golden Plover, Carrion Crow and Kestrel. 

The report goes on: "Installing Swift nest-boxes externally at high level under eaves of new buildings on site will encourage this declining summer migrant species to nest. 

"As well as for Swifts, these boxes are known to also be used by other cavity nesting species such as starling and house sparrow. 

"Installing specific nest-cups for use by house martin at a high level, under the eaves of new buildings on site will encourage this red-listed species to use the buildings for nesting."

There are likely to be numerous objections to the proposal, and the applicants, Harworth Estates, will also have to demonstrate that they have addressed not just biodiversity and landscape concerns, but also those of flood risk and potential pollution to the River Freshney.

It is unlikely that the application will be determined until this summer at the earliest. 

                                    

Is there  a risk that the River Freshney and its wildlife might be put in jeopardy?

Artist's impression of how the street scene might look if the project goes ahead

9 

12/11/2025 

Lloyds Bank unveils proposed makeover for signage on its premises in Grimsby's Top Town

   

The signage as it is now

Lloyds Bank has unveiled the external facelift proposed for its premises on Victoria Street in Grimsby. 

The intended replacement will be internally illuminated with the word 'bank' removed. 

Before going ahead, it will need North East Lincolnshire Council planners to give the (racing) green light.  

                                                                           

The signage as it might be soon

Hopes rise that some of Grimsby car park's sculptural panels might be spared a date with the crusher

                                             

Contractors will seek to save at least some of the sculptures

 

EFFORTS will be made to save some of the sculptural panels that have been put at risk by ongoing demolition of  Grimsby's Abbey Walk car park.

North East Lincolonshire Council had come under fire for not having done more to safeguard the panels which are part of the post-war heritage of the town.

Although he has not made a fuss, the sculptor, Harold Gosney, is known to have been disapppointed that all his creative andf time-consuming work risked ending up as rubble.

Following talks between NELC and the contractors, GBM,  it has emerged that efforts will be made to save at least some of the panels.

Says NELC cabinet member Cllr Stewart Swinburn: "The sculptures weigh between one and two tonnes each, so manual removal is not an option - removal will have to be attempted mechanically."

However, he cautions: "There are several risks, and they may be damaged in the process."

Assuming they can be saved, it is not clear where the panels might be relocated.   

Controversy bubbles up over proposal to change use of former cycle shop to hot food premises

 

The property at the centre of the rumpus

A PROPOSAL to change the use of a former bicycle shop in Cleethorpes seems to have sparked a bit of a brouhaha.

Opposition  to the plan to convert 21 High Street  to a restaurant and hot food takeaway has largely been along the lines that this part of town already has sufficient  similar premises.

But a resident of Brooklands Avenue maintains that objectors are generally those who have interests in other takeaways and thus do not want further competition.

In a forthright submission to North East Lincolnshire Council, she writes: "I give my full and unequivocal support to this application.

"This unit has been left empty for years, serving no purpose whatsoever. 

"An empty shop does nothing for the High Street except signal decline, neglect and a lack of ambition.

"The objections raised are transparent and self-serving. 

"It is common knowledge locally that the majority of takeaways along this stretch are owned or controlled by a very small number of individuals. 

"This is about suppressing competition, pure and simple."

She continues: "The planning system should not be hijacked to protect monopolies or personal interests.

"Many of the existing operations offer extremely poor-quality food and service, contributing little to the reputation of the area.

"If operators are worried about competition, the answer is to raise standards, not attempt to block new entrants through questionable objections.

"Cleethorpes does not benefit from empty shops, cartel behaviour or scare tactics - it benefits from new businesses, fair competition, and progress."

The application is under consideration by NELC's planning department with a decision expected before Easter.

Street scenes in Cleethorpes featured in colouring book created by nurse-turned-artist

     

Hats off to self-taught artist and former nurse Vanessa Whittleton who, on behalf of North East Lincolnshire Council,  has created a colouring book based on scenes such as Sea View Street,  in Cleethorpes.The project has been financed by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Barratt Homes unveils proposal for further 41 houses off Station Road in New Waltham

                                                

The first phase of Wigmore Park is now well established 

A FURTHER 41 homes could be in prospect for an existing housing estate in New Waltham.

Barratt Homes is seeking planning permission to extend its popular Wigmore Park development off Station Road in New Waltham.

The site identified is farmland, off Binbrook Drive, which has been allowed to lie fallow in recent years.

If approved, there would be an attenuation pond to assist site drainage, landscaping and associated works, including biodiversity enhancements.

The proposal is currently under consideration by North East Lincolnshire Council.

The new houses off Binbrook Drive would be of two-, three- and four- bedrooms 

                                  

Shadow over future of central library darkens as councillors ponder likely size of repair bill

                                  

The central library - will it ever re-open?

DOUBTS over the future of  the Grimsby Central Library have increased after it emerged that the total bill for repairs and renovation could be £13-million plus.

An even if the money could be found  - and there was the political will to carry out the works - the library might not open until spring 2029 at the earliest.

Previously, North East Lincolnshire Council kept this information under wraps but now it has relented in  recognition of its pledge to be transparent with the public.

NELC says work to remove  asbestos from the plant room at the top of the library is "progressing well" and that the "next steps" for the building are now under consideration. 

In a statement, it says:  "Once the roof has been  either repaired or replaced, other asbestos would need to be removed, as far as practicable,  in order to bring the building back into use - a process thyat could take as long as a year.

"Thereafter, further external and internal works could also include replacement of windows as well as the internal works prior to bringing back into use the basement, ground floor and mezzanine floors.

"Ideally, the long-empty upper floors would also be brought back inmto use for office space and/or cultural / community use." 

Then comes the bombshell sentence: "Depending on the fit-out options for the building, the total works could cost between £12.3million and £13.6-million with the earliest potential reopening date of around Spring 2029.

A select committee of the council has called for capital funding to be agreed "on an urgent basis" to protect the building from further ingress of rain which has been threatening the fabric of the building for  many a moon.

Its chairman, Cllr Steve Holland (Ind) says:  “This committee is still gathering evidence and wants to hear as many views as possible. 

"This will be particularly important in deciding the future of Grimsby Central Library."

He continues: "We are confident at this stage that a solution can be found which preserves the heritage and unique architecture of the building but which will also make it fit-for-purpose on a practical level so that it can become a treasured community asset for decades to come.

"The barrier will be cost of course, and that is something that needs to be collectively addressed with the aim of trying to achieve a consensus."

In the meantime, a pop-up library is operating within the Freshney Place precinct.