Homes at former police station approved

Plans to build 21 homes at a former police station in Cleethorpes, despite flood risk concerns, have been approved.

Paul Bannister of Land Developers (Lincs) Ltd proposes to convert the former station in Princes Road into 10 flats. Eleven houses would also be built on the former car park.

North East Lincolnshire Council officers had recommended refusal after an objection from the Environment Agency on tidal flood risk grounds.

However, councillors approved it by 5-2 votes, on the grounds of regeneration of a brownfield site and that sufficient attempts had been made to come to a resolution over flood risk.

The Prince's Road site in Cleethorpes was sold off after Humberside Police moved out in 2020 after almost 90 years.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Anglian Water were also concerned about the proposals due to surface water run-off and the levels of some floors being below anticipated flood levels.

Councillor Hayden Dawkins questioned the major flood risk given the Princes Road side was on a hill.

"It's a typical situation where the Environment Agency goes against every development in Grimsby and Cleethorpes because we're in a flood zone," he said.

Residents also raised concerns, with over a hundred people signing a petition against the plans.

Objector Helen Lanfranchi said water "frequently pools" in the former police station's car park.

She said in the summer of 2021 most of it was covered by water.

"It remained for over three months with an infestation of flies with, understandably, a horrendous smell."

The police and fire services said the empty site had attracted anti-social behaviour and the building had been broken into twice.

Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner Jonathan Evison said approval would generate money for the police that would be reinvested back into the Grimsby area.

Mr Evison said: "I really worry that if we don't get this through, what does that say to all the other developers in the area?"

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