This morning I attended a meeting of the Planning Committee where a report from the planning officers on the future of the open plan order which is in force on the Laceby Acres Estate was discussed, following my request at a previous meeting.

I moved two motions, both of which were passed:

• That the residents of the affected parts of the Laceby Acres Estate be consulted to find out whether they are in favour of having the open plan order for the estate lifted.
• That any enforcement action against unauthorised boundary walls and fences be postponed until the future of the open plan agreement has been decided.

If there is any resident of Laceby Acres who would like any information on this subject please give me a ring on 310855

You may have read in the Telegraph recently about the resident of Nelson Way who is fighting to gain planning permission for a small wall at the front of his house.  The latest article is at http://tinyurl.com/lm8csx 

The problem has been caused by the imposition of an open plan order on a large part of the estate when it was built in the 1970′s.

An open plan estate may have been a good idea in the 70′s, but times have changed, and peoples’ behaviour has changed as well.  I have spoken to numerous residents over the last few weeks, and they have all agreed with me that it is time that things changed.  After winning an appeal last week, there are now five houses in Nelson Way that have been granted planning permission.

I have started to press for the open plan order to be lifted, but I need to know the opinion of as many residents as possible before I proceed.  Please let me know what you think by contacting me at les.bonner@nelincs.gov.uk

I have successfully represented two residents in appeals against decisions made by the Planning Committee, and I am prepared to assist any other residents in a similar position to the best of my ability, so if there are any residents who would like me to do the same for them please let me know.  I can be contacted through les.bonner@nelincs.gov.uk

According to the Mail online Lord Mandy is once again under the political spotlight; it is claimed that he is at the centre of a ‘favours for friends’ row over the controversial proposals to expand Heathrow.

Details emerged of the extraordinary access the Business Secretary’s close acquaintance Roland Rudd - who represents airport operator BAA - had to the top tiers of Government.

Mr Rudd, the City’s most powerful PR, or his company Finsbury Ltd met with ministers at least five times in ten days in the run-up to Labour’s unpopular decision to go ahead with plans for a third runway, and once a few months earlier.

It provoked angry allegations that Lord Mandelson used his political influence to help his friend persuade ministers to push through the £9billion project.

Mr Rudd, who is rumoured to be worth £50million, has had a long friendship with Lord Mandelson, who is godfather to his son.

Mandelson as campaigned strongly in favour of the expansion of Heathrow, and at one Cabinet meeting, he ‘banged his head’ on a table in frustration at anti-runway ministers.

The Daily Mail have revealed the extraordinary access Mr Rudd and his firm, which lists BAA as one of its biggest corporate clients, was given to people at the levers of power.

Mr Rudd was also involved in last summer’s ‘Yachtgate’ affair involving Lord Mandelson.

The Trade Secretary was in Corfu, staying on the yacht of Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska – who is a client of Finsbury through Basic Elements, the holding group for his investments.

Another guest was Shadow Chancellor George Osborne, who was later suspected of leaking unfavourable remarks made by Lord Mandelson about the Prime Minister.

That upset a third guest, millionaire business heir Nat Rothschild – who is also represented by Mr Rudd and who, on the advice of Mr Rudd, launched a damaging media offensive against Mr Osborne.

  The intriguing details of the ministerial access granted to Mr Rudd were uncovered by Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Secretary, Norman Baker from Parliamentary questions.

Norman Bakersaid: “These revelations provide, at the very least, evidence that Peter Mandelson has been doing favours for friends. Again, his position as a Cabinet minister is compromised by his shadowy personal contacts.

“It is astonishing that Roland Rudd, who has enjoyed lavish hospitality with Oleg Deripaska at the same time as Peter Mandelson, was granted so many meetings with ministers over such a short period of time
“We know Mr Rudd’s firm represents BAA, so now we need to know how he came to be granted such favourable access at the time Lord Mandelson was lobbying so hard in the Cabinet for the third runway.

“It is not surprising that people jump to the conclusion that there is an old pals act going on here to try to influence Government policy. We need an investigation to be carried out to see if there have been breaches of the ministerial code. It is in the public interest.”

There was a piece of good news for the residents of Immingham with the announcement at the Regen and Housing Scrutiny Panel of after plans were announced for a new 30,000 square foot superstore in Kennedy Way and for other improvements to the Kennedy Way precinct.

Outline plans for the site, together with drawings, were revealed at the meeting by chartered surveyors Dresler Smith working on behalf of landlord Wellway Properties Ltd.

Proposals, which will have to go out to public consultation and a formal planning application, include:

• Demolition of buildings from Poundstrecher to Coral Bookmakers and from Barclays Bank to Leisurama.
• Creation of a new 30,000 square foot supermarket
• A new parade of shop units
• Building of new bus facilities at Pelham Road with an enhanced pedestrian access and visibility to the new supermarket and shops
• Potential to re-site business premises for all existing tenants as required
• A new 319 space car park
• Refurbished mall and public spaces

A shop will open shortly on Kennedy Way to showcase plans as part of a public consultation prior to an outline bid for planning permission on the site.

This is a very early stage in any development, but it is pleasing that all concerned have met to discuss the way forward for Kennedy Way. It is a potentially exciting development for the people of Immingham and it is clear that the outdated 70s precinct of Kennedy Way needs updating.”

David Dresler, for Dresler Smith, said: “This is a substantial and exciting development which will create numerous jobs for the people of Immingham. We very much see this as an opportunity to regenerate the town centre and give the local economy a much-needed boost.”

A report that outlines a potential future for the area’s economy and well-being to the year 2018 and beyond has received widespread support as it enters its next chapter.

The North East Lincolnshire Place Branding Study, a 44-page document by Manchester-based branding experts Creative Lynx, outlines a series of recommendations for North East Lincolnshire including:

• Adopting Greater Grimsby as an ‘umbrella brand’ for all future marketing of the area
• Building complimentary place brands of Grimsby, Cleethorpes and Immingham as integral to the overall proposition.
• Using Lincolnshire wherever possible in accompanying copy and imagery.
• Launching a new website to promote the area

The study, which has included 35 consultations with 23 organisations and also quizzed inward investment advisors, has been met positively by North East Lincolnshire Council – who first commissioned the work – and the Economic Development Enterprise and Environmental sub-group of the Local Strategic Partnership.

Now, the council is working with the consultants to produce an implementation plan on how the recommendations of the report can be taken further.

Read the rest of this entry.

Planning permission has been granted for a new hotel and retail outlet in the town centre.   Work is expected to start on the project as soon as possible. The new development will be situated on the site of the old Burton’s garage, close to the railway station.  The seven-storey building will feature an 80-room hotel and a two-storey car park with 38 spaces.  There are also plans to have a bar and restaurant on the top floors. As the artist’s impression shows, the building will have a row of shops at ground level (450 square metres) with hotel rooms facing the front and rear.  There will also be 1,297 square metres of office space and a car park at the side of the building with access from Duchess Street.   

DO you have a burning question to ask?  Then now is your chance to speak up!

North East Lincolnshire is holding its very own Question Time event putting key local people under the public spotlight for an evening of discussion and debate.

As part of North East Lincolnshire Council’s Community Engagement Week, the North East Lincolnshire Council Question Time panel will be inviting questions and debate at a live event at Whitgift Theatre, Grimsby, on Monday, September 15.

On the panel will be: the Leader of the Council, Councillor Andrew De Freitas; the Deputy Leader Councillor Keith Brookes; Great Grimsby MP Austin Mitchell; divisional commander of Humberside Police, Dave Hilditch; North East Lincolnshire Council’s new chief executive, Tony Hunter; chair of the North East Lincolnshire NHS Care Trust Plus, Val Waterhouse; plus the North East Lincolnshire representative on the national Youth Parliament and her deputy.

Chairing the panel on the night will be Mark Webb, chairman of the Local Strategic Partnership and managing director of the Cleethorpes Chronicle.

The event, beginning at 6pm, will include a finger buffet prior to the debates, and creche facilities can be arranged with advance notice.

Tickets for the event are free but must be booked in advance. If you would like to join the audience, please contact Paul Windley on 01472 324121 or Paul Wisken on 01472 324124. Alternatively you can email paul.windley@nelincs.gov.uk or paul.wisken@nelincs.gov.uk. Or you can write to: NELC Question Time tickets, Law and Democratic Services, Municipal Offices, Grimsby, N E Lincs, DN31 1HU. The closing date for ticket applications is Wednesday, September 3.

Audience members who would like to ask a question of the panel on the night are asked to submit their questions beforehand. You can either do this when applying for your ticket, or you can submit your questions separately, sending them to the above contact details with your name and ticket number. The deadline for question submissions is Wednesday, September 10.

It has just been announced that a new multi-million-pound hotel complex could be completed in Grimsby by 2010.  This news comes only days after the Planning Committee met to approve the multi-million pounds Wharf Retail Development.

An application for a Radisson Park Inn hotel – including 132 rooms, a gym, shops, a bistro restaurant, and a bar – has been submitted to North East Lincolnshire Council.

If approved, the complex would be built on the site of the former Stones brewery, on Birchin Way, just across the road from the new Shoreline Housing Partnership offices.

Applicant David Jason, director for Heritage London and Hanover, said: “This is a very exciting project for Grimsby and it isn’t the sort of thing we’d plough this much money into if we didn’t think that.

“It will be of huge benefit to Grimsby and could become a focal point.

“The beauty of the site profile is that it is highly visible to traffic flowing in and out of Grimsby.

“It is a cracking site and very well placed with many good businesses around it.

“It is a significant development for us and for Grimsby and I am sure it will be welcomed by people and business users.

“The disused site is one of the first things people see if they are heading into Grimsby on the A180.

Philip Boyce, the project architect is confident that it will be successful. He said: “I’m looking forward to being part of it and it will be a fairly crisp and modern building.

“We are just waiting for planning permission but I’m sure the people of Grimsby will like what they see.” The council is also working with other partners in the hope of seeing other similar projects come to fruition.

NEW TOWN CENTRE RETAIL PROJECT RECEIVES A GREEN LIGHT

  The  Wharf Retail Park development, which could create scores of new jobs, has been passed by North East Lincolnshire Council’s Planning Committee. 

The Henry Boot Development is planning to create 11 stores and 27 flats in the £ 30-million project which will revitalize a derelict part of the town centre. 

As reported in the Grimsby Telegraph, plans for the development were previously deferred because of concerns over congestion and traffic management.  The plan was redrawn and now a one-way road over the river from Frederick Ward Way will give shoppers access to the retail park.

 The plan, which also includes 290 parking spaces, will add 150,000sq ft of shopping space to Grimsby’s town centre.

Developers say despite the economic slowdown nationally, they are confident that the park will prosper.. There are at least six interested retaillers, including Debenhams, in talks with the developers, and it is hoped construction will start late this year or early 2009.

The existing Water Sports Centre is due to be demolished and replaced with a new one.

Vice-chairman of the Planning Committee, Councillor Doug Pickett (Lib Dem, South), said: “They have improved the traffic design and the plan is better than it was. It will be good for the town on balance “With a wider variety of shops in Grimsby, it will save shoppers wanting to travel to Hull, Lincoln or Doncaster. “With flats above the stores, it will bring life to the town centre and discourage anti-social behaviour.”

Vivienne Clements, the Henry Boot Developments director who has overseen Wharf Retail

“It is a terrific regeneration scheme for Grimsby and we have worked very hard to satisfy the concerns raised.  Hopefully, everybody will be happy with the outcome.

“It was very important to get to this stage. We really needed to get to this step so we can start to approach retailers with a view to a commitment and more certainty.

“Interested parties are believed to be primarily in fashion retailing, with the offer from Henry Boot more suitable for larger stores.

The start of the Cartergate development marks the first stage in the planned overhaul of the town centre.

New designs show the vast array of planned facilities, including offices, a health club, a hotel, shops, cafes and two landscaped squares, but this will not be the only change to the town, which will also include the Wharf Retail

 A development on Garth Lane,  has also been approved, but funding has not yet been secured. 

 Further significant changes have also been funded by the Urban Renaissance Programme  - the same group as the one behind the Cartergate development.

The programme is a partnership between North East Lincolnshire Council, the Greater Grimsby Renaissance Partnership (GGRP) and Yorkshire Forward. Under the scheme, Yorkshire Forward has already funded improvements to street lighting and the St James’ Church extension and will fund the renovated underpass and improve Cartergate car park. The current demolition work will mean some traffic restrictions. The footpath in front of the buildings on Chantry Lane will be partially closed, but the underpass will remain open.

Michele Cusack, regeneration director at NELC, said: “We are delighted that work is getting under way on the Cartergate site and believe it will, with careful stewardship from the council, be a development of great importance and merit to the whole community.”