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| The site earmarked for motorhomes parking. On the other side of the road is the Premier Inn |
A DEDICATED motorhomes site will open in Cleethorpes on Monday.
The initiative on the main foreshore car park is the brainchild of North East Lincolnshire.
It is going ahead despite protests that the chunkily-proportioned vehicles will blight the land adjacent to the attractively-maintained station of Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway and the designated dunes nature reserve.
There are 10 spaces which are being offered for one- or two-night parking, costing £12 per 24 hours, with a maximum stay of 48 hours.
Currently, overnight parking of motorhomes is prohibited in all North East Lincolnshire Council car parks, though there is also a site at the north end of the promenade opposite the rock armour whale's tail.
Fees can only be paid on arrival by downloading a paybyphone app.
The ticket machines on the rest of the car park are not available to pay for motorhome parking.
The site also has an Elsan disposal point for access to water and emptying chemical WCs
Penalty charge notices will be issued to occupants of any vehicle caught parking overnight on grassland outside a designated bay.
Says NELC's portfolio holder for the visitor economy, Cllr Hayden Dawkins: "These sorts sites are popular all over Europe and in tourist towns across the UK.
"We hope this one will attract more visitors to Cleethorpes."
The Grimsby News says: Plaudits to NELC for this attempt, albeit modest, to generate revenue for its coffers from seaside visitors. But this project has its risks. As word spreads, more and more motorhomes will turn up. If the site is full, their occupants' inclination will be to take the risk of a fine and park either on the grass verge or in other parts of the car park. What is more, the development will increase traffic, potentially putting the unwary - children as well as adults - at risk. It surely would have been far preferable if the council could have established a properly-serviced standalone site elsewhere rather than a cramped corner of an existing car park.
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| Only £12 per night - is the council undercharging? |
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| A downside of the project is that it will obstruct the view to the attractively maintained light railway station |
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| Early bird! Even before Monday's official opening, one motorhome had pitched up on site |
Some 43 companies took space at the recent Women in Manufacturing and Engineering exhibition at Grimsby's Humber Royal Hotel. It was an opportunity for females of primary school age up to university students to discover what career openings beckon across manufacturing, engineering, digital, construction and renewables in North East Lincolnshire. At present, women make up only nine per cent of the workforce in these sectors, but events such as these seek to increase this proportion in the years to come. Pictured above and below are some of those who attended.
The spotlight fell on the mental health of 5-16-year-olds at a day-long conference in Grimsby. It was held earlier this week in the town hall and was attended by individuals across the spectrum of education and children’s welfare. In her keynote address, Jennifer Steel, Service Director for Education, Inclusion, and Integration at North East Lincolnshire Council, declared: "We have the opportunity to create nurturing environments. Each child is unique, with their own experiences, challenges, and strengths. Our role is to listen, understand, and provide any support they need."
* Photo: Courtesy of NELC
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| Overnight rainfall has been blamed for the leak at Grimsby Library |
THE future looks increasingly uncertain for Grimsby Central Library.
After it closed at 5.30pm today, little assurance has been given about when it will reopen - if at all.
The building is owned by North East Lincolnshire Council and the service is run by Lincs Inspire.
The two organisations claim that there has been "a water leak following a period of overnight rainfall".
In a joint statement, they say: "A leak was identified, and there is a requirement for urgent works.
"The service is set to be relocated as soon as possible.
"We are working to inform library users and those customers with local tax and benefit support appointments of alternative service provision.
"Lincs Inspire is also working with the Credit Union to ensure its continued service."
In the meantime, library users are asked to use the following services:
* Cleethorpes Library on Alexandra Road, open 8.30am to 5.30pm Monday to Thursday, and 9am to 1pm Saturday;
* Immingham Library at the Civic Centre on Pelham Road, open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, and 9am to 1pm Saturday;
* Waltham Library on the High Street, open 8.30am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 5.30pm Tuesday to Friday, and 9am to 1pm Saturday.
There is also the online service available via www.lincsinspire.com
Those with books to return are being asked to return them to an alternative branch until a suitable drop off arrangement in Grimsby is confirmed.
The extent of the leak has not been revealed, nor if any of the books or other stock have been damaged.
The Grimsby News says: It is no secret that North East Lincolnshire Council wants to get shot of its library in Grimsby - and probably the one in Cleethorpes, too. Has this leak provided itself with an excuse for permanent closure? Here's hoping this is not the case, but the press release gives scant assurance that that repairs will be carried out as a matter of urgency. Instead, it says the service will be "relocated" as soon as possible. Out of courtesy to users and staff, NELC needs to be less vague both about its current plan of action (if any) and its medium-term intentions.
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| The grass field earmarked for a new cemetery |
A NEW 450-plot cemetery is in prospect for a grass field near Toll Bar Academy,
North East Lincolnshire Council has this week given the thumbs-up for the development on a field adjacent to allotments off Station Road.
As well as creating burial plots, the project also includes:
* Widening of the existing access
* Creation of a car park with 22 standard parking spaces and two disabled parking spaces
* Vehicular gates and pedestrian gates for visitors
* Formation of an access road, turning circle and turning head for a hearse
* Installation of external benches and memorial areas
* Hedge and tree planting (denoted on the landscaping plan)
In advance of submitting its planning application, the parish council commissioned a geophysical survey to establish if the field might be of archaeological interest.
However, this concluded that excavations would be unlikely to find much, if anything, of historical interest.
The application did not go before NELC's planning committee but was determined under delegated powers by senior case officer Bethany Loring.
Her report states: "There will be increased activity at the site and the level of noise to neighbours could potentially increase during this stage.
"However, works would be relatively minor and subject to a working hours condition and this should not be adverse.
"When the use has been implemented it would not produce significant disturbance due to its sensitivity.
"The immediate residential neighbours are positioned at a significant distance away from the area of development."
It continues: "The site benefits from an existing access point, which will serve the site as well as the existing allotments to the west.
"This would be retained but would be widened to 5.5 metres.
A total of 24 parking spaces, two for disabled, will be provided to the front. This will be bound by footpaths for pedestrian access to include gates.
"Within the site, there will be internal roads and turning heads, specifically for manoeuvring of hearses.
"In order to soften the impact, existing hedging will be retained to the boundaries with new hedging and trees also proposed which would ensure better assimilation with the open area.
"This will also be akin to the existing allotments positioned to the west."
At one point, there was a suggestion that, for the benefit of pedestrians, a zebra crossing or something similar would be provided, but highways officers have deemed this inappropriate.
It is not yet known when work will start on the project.
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| The proposed lay out of the cemetery - the blue circles indicate where trees will be planted |
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| An example of the sort of bench that is being considered |
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| A children's memorial is also proposed |
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| Members of the planning committee debate the Cyden Homes application at the meeting last October |
DEVELOPER Cyden Homes has, as expected, lodged an appeal against North East Lincolnshire Council's refusal to allow 249 homes to be built on land off the A16 Louth Road in New Waltham.
It was back in October last that the authority's planning committee voted 6-5 against the project going ahead (as reported in this blog on October 30 and November 12).
Unusually, councillors made their decision against the recommendation of officers who had recommended approval.
It subsequently announced the decision thus: "The development by reason of the number of dwellings proposed would result in adverse levels of traffic which would cause a severe adverse impact on the road network through the resultant congestion to the detriment of highway amenity and to the detriment of local amenity and health through the resultant air pollution."
The appeal will now be determined by an independent inspector from the Planning Inspectorate.
He or she will probably host an 'informal' round-table discussion where the issues will be thrashed out by representatives of Cyden Homes and objectors with senior planning officer Richard Limmer looking on.
Thereafter, there will probably be a site visit - the timing of which could be critical to the outcome of the hearing.
If it is rush hour the traffic could indeed be slow moving. If it is at another time of day, traffic will be flowing freely.
All parties will be aware that all local authorities are under immense pressure from the Government to increase the rate of housebuilding.
