Park Avenue yew tree saved from felling because of its 'positive contribution' to street scene

 

'No obvious signs of defect' - the Park Avenue yew tree

AN attractive yew tree in Grimsby has been saved from the chop.

An independent appeals inspector has ruled in favour of North East Lincolnshire Council which turned down an a resident's application for the tree in the front garden of a house in Park Avenue to be felled.

The resident appealed but the inspector, Mark Caine, upheld the NELC decision.

In his report, he says: "The tree, a tall and mature specimen,  is clearly visible from a number of vantage points along Park Avenue. 

"There are numerous other trees growing in the locality, and within front residential gardens. 

"These, along with the tree the subject of this appeal, make a positive contribution to the landscaped character of the surrounding area. 

"The tree is therefore a prominent feature and provides a good level of visual amenity.  

"As such, its felling would erode the visual amenity of the area and give rise to considerable harm to its character and appearance. 

"Any reasons given to justify the removal of the tree therefore need to be convincing, and it is to this issue to which I now turn."

He continues: "The tree has no obvious signs of defects, and, whilst it leans to the north and overhangs a driveway, I saw nothing to suggest that it was unstable or dangerous at the time of my site visit."

The inspector noted that flagged surfaces of driveways overlooked by the tree were "slightly raised and uneven", but he says that evidence to indicate  that tree roots are to blame is "inconclusive".

He continues: "On the basis of the evidence before me, I am also unable to conclude that parts of the driveways could not be re-laid or resurfaced in such a way, if necessary, to take any roots into account and remedy any potential trip hazard."

The inspector is dismissive about "issues with falling leaves, berries and debris, along with impacts on outlook and light levels to property" which he says are "not uncommon for tree owners". 

He states: "While this may create inconvenience, require increased vigilance and result in added maintenance and costs (including the cleaning of cars, carpets and driveways more regularly), such matters are an unavoidable consequence of  owning a property adjacent to trees and does not justify the removal of a healthy protected specimen.  

"In addition, given the good physiological condition of the tree, I have no substantive reason to conclude that it could not tolerate alternative pruning works.

"This may not totally overcome the appellant’s concerns, but it would help to reduce the volume of berries and the area in which they land. 

"In any event, falling leaves, berries and other debris is likely to be seasonal and therefore unlikely to occur to a significant degree all year round. 

"Alternatively, the use of car covers could also be explored.  

"I therefore have no substantive reason to conclude that the tree poses any imminent health and safety risks that would cause me any particular concern. 

"Accordingly, I must therefore give the reasons to remove the tree very little weight. 

" I acknowledge the appellant's willingness to replace the tree with a new one. 

"However, any replacement would take many years to reach the same stature as the appeal tree and provide a similar level of visual amenity. 

"As such, replacement planting would not be sufficient to mitigate the harm that would arise to the character and appearance of the area. 

"Accordingly, having considered all matters, I find that the loss of the yew tree would result in significant harm to the character and appearance of the area." 

The inspector concludes: "The appeal should therefore be dismissed." 

                                        

Staying put - the controversial tree

 

With a little help from Cleethorpes Wildlife Rescue, family of swans doing well at Grimsby's Riverhead

It has been good to see a family of Mute Swans faring well at Grimsby's Riverhead. As of this weekend, both parents and four fast-growing cygnets were looking very contented.                                                      

Proposed children's homes in Grimsby aim to provide 'caring, loving and nurturing' environment

                                       

The Welholme Avenue property

TWO houses in Grimsby could be converted to small children's homes if North East Lincolnshire planners give the green light.

They are those at :

* 12 Welholme Avenue

* 2 Vivian Avenue 

The application for the former, which has been submitted by NELC, states: "This proposal seeks to establish a new children’s home to provide a caring and loving home environment for local children.

"There are insufficient homes within the borough to enable all children in care to remain within their local area, so many have to live at a distance from their local support networks. 

"This is costly in many ways and has a proven negative impact on the young people themselves as they navigate adolescence and become young adults.  

"Establishing this property as a children’s home is thus part of the council’s wider strategy to provide sufficient local homes for children in its care."

If approved, the  will become a home for up to three children in care, with adult carers on-site 24 hours a day. 

Continues the application: "In all practical senses, the extent of the 'change of use' is negligible.  

"For decades, children’s homes were larger-scale and perceived as ‘institutional’.  

"However, a modern children’s home is very different.  It is much smaller in scale (typically providing a home for up to three children as is being proposed here) and is designed to look, feel and operate like a normal family home.  

"Indeed, Ofsted, the body which registers, regulates, and inspects children’s homes, requires it to do so and ultimately has the statutory power force the closure of a children’s home that fails to meet its exacting standards.  

"Consequently, most newly established modern children’s homes are based in normal residential family homes such as this property."

The application for the house on Vivian Avenue has been submitted by Shore Care Services.

It states: "The proposal is to change the use of the property to a children's home, providing a safe and supportive residential environment for up to four children aged between eight and 18.

" The proposed use aims to create a homely and nurturing environment, replicating that of a traditional family setting. 

If approved, the home will operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with staff providing care and support to the children. 

There would be a manager and deputy manager in post, along with three staff teams of three people (one team leader and two support workers). 

The teams would work on a two days on, four days off rota, with changeovers happening every other day. 

The application continues: "The routine will be similar in nature to that of a traditional family home. with the children enjoying a balanced diet of home cooked meals, accessing education undertaking recreational activities and going on holidays.  

"Our company takes a lot of pride in investing in children and young people and their future."  

There have been two objections from nearby residents to the Welholme Avenue proposal, but none to the Vivian Avenue application. 

It is thought that both applications will be determined by a senior NELC planning case  officer without the need for determination by the authority's planning committee.  

                                       

The house at Vivian Avenue

Bloomin' marvellous! Flowers, shrubs and trees have transformed Grimsby's Top Town for the summer

                                          

Plaudits to North East Lincolnshire Council and all involved in the superb floral planting which has given a summertime  lift to Grimsby's Top Town. A splash of nature can transform a town centre or any urban setting. It brings beauty into lives.  Here's hoping similar initiatives will be adopted  elsewhere in the borough - and maintained not just in summer but in all the year's seasons.                            

                                                                      

Will Grimsby Town's digital sign idea risk causing traffic hazard on one of Cleethorpes' busiest roads?

                                        

The existing billboard - Town FC would prefer something more modern

WILL motorists be distracted by a proposed digital signboard in the grounds of the New Clee Constitution Club on Grimsby Road, Cleethorpes? 

Grimsby Town FC want to replace their existing timber billboard - which publicises future home games - with something slicker.

The replacement, which would sit above the fence line, would measure three metres in width and two  metres in height.

The screen would display illuminated  digital images and would change to provide a different static image for at least 20-30 seconds per image. 

When the proposal goes before North East Lincolnshire Council's planning committee next week, case officer Bethany Loring will recommend approval.

She acknowledges the possibility of distraction  to passing  traffic, but states: 

"Due to the orientation of the sign to both directions of traffic, in addition to the frequency of change of the advert, it is not considered that this would cause a detrimental effect in relation to the distraction of drivers."

She continues: "The council's highways  officer has  no objections to the proposal subject to conditions to secure the specific details. 

"This would include limiting the content of the adverts, luminance, display time and interval time which have all been agreed with the applicant."

The location is within the Sidney Sussex ward, one of whose representatives, Cllr Edward Kaczmarek, is seeking further reassurances.

The proposal will be determined at the planning meeting next Wednesday morning.                                          

The sign is an eyecatcher on Grimsby Road

Queen Camilla loves 'wonderful' libraries - but does NELC's cabinet share the same enthusiasm?

Queen Camilla - sad that so many public libraries have closed
(official photo of Camilla via Wikimedia Commons)

 

CAMPAIGNERS battling to save North East Lincolnshire Council's libraries from being downgraded - or even closed - will have been buoyed by comments made earlier this week by Queen Camilla.

In Edinburgh to open a new public library - one of no fewer than 28 in Scotland's capital city  - she enthused: "They are wonderful places -  from toddlers to pensioners, they  inspire a love of reading.

"I wish other authorities would follow Edinburgh's  example and open more libraries all over the country, because I think, sadly, a lot of them have been closing down."

Over the past nine years, more than 180 council-run libraries in the UK are understood either to have closed, been handed over to volunteer groups or diminished.

In North East Lincolnshire, the library in Immingham is flourishing, but, as NELC seeks to make savings, a dark cloud looms over the future of its counterparts in Grimsby (the central library is 'temporarily' closed), Cleethorpes and Waltham.

Queen Camilla's enthusiasm for libraries seems not to be shared by members of NELC's cabinet.

During the latest discussion about those locally, five members chose to stay silent - possibly through not wanting to jeopardise a consultation process and partly perhaps  because they are not particularly interested. Or possibly both.

Portfolio holder for leisure services, Cllr  Hayden Dawkins said the  intention was to remove potentially dangerous asbestos from Grimsby Central  Library  as quickly as possibly,  but he offered no guarantee that the building would reopen as a library.

The stock is currently in a warehouse, but he said the authority was looking for premises where the books and other material could again become accessible to the public.

Asked why Whitehall funding earmarked for reopening of the upper floors of the library had been diverted to the Freshney Place development  project, he said there has been scant interest from any organisation in occupying this part of the premises.

Council leader Cllr Philip Jackson's commented: "The authority is legally obliged to provide a library service."

The Grimsby News says: For those who love and value libraries, Queen Camilla's observations will have been very refreshing. Alas, her influence probably does not extend to North East Lincolnshire where members ofthe council cabinet had scarcely a kind word to say about the precious role they have long played in the life of the community. In the cabinet's latest deliberations, there was scarcely a note of support - let alone enthusiasm. It seems that the current administration does not particularly want to run a library service - certainly not one that is that is first-in-class. It does so only because it is under "legal obligation" to do so.  What could be more begrudging than that?

It's hats off to Freshney Place revamp firm for its commitment to community involvement!

                       

A shout-out for GMI Construction Group has come from North East Lincolnshire Council which has this week posted these photographs of the company's demolition activities  in Freshney Place, Grimsby. As well as its direct involvement on the £50-million leisure development project, the company has been busy launching a number of outreach initiatives, including providing apprenticeships, hiring local labour, offering work experience opportunities and hosting visits from schools and colleges. Says Brendan Tannam of GMI: "It is so important to allow local people the opportunity to play a part in the generation of Grimsby."