A duo of projects are being proposed that would change the way we move around Grimsby Town Centre.
Two reports are going through North East Lincolnshire Council’s decision-making process this month, both seeking approval to progress with schemes that will redesign car parking and public transport use in Grimsby Town Centre.
The reports covering two car parks and a new Transport Hub will first be discussed at a meeting of the Transport, Infrastructure and Strategic Housing Scrutiny Panel on September 10th, before going on to Cabinet.
Abbey Walk and Burgess Street Car Parks: This report goes into detail about options for both. It seeks approval for the demolition and redevelopment of the current multi-storey at Abbey Walk as a surface car park whilst improving Burgess Street Car Park at the same time.
The Abbey Walk facility was built in 1969 by Holst & Company of Scunthorpe at a cost of approximately £200,000.
Whilst a key asset for the town centre, the car park was closed in May this year, after structural defects were found. This was water ingress into key structural supports, making the car park potentially unsafe to use.
Since then, four options have been identified in the report and costed for the future of the car park, from maintaining it as is, to demolition and replacement either with a surface car park, a two-storey structure or like for like multi-storey. The costed options are currently estimated as between £1.5m and £7m, with finalised costings only available once the next stage of more detailed project work is carried out.
The current recommended option is to demolish the car park and replace with a 120-space surface car park with the improvements to Burgess Street being done at the same time. This would allow more use of Burgess Street.
Funding for this scheme would initially be sought from the Council’s capital programme, with other funding sources being explored to reduce the impact on the council resources.
If approved, the next stage would be to work up detailed design and costings before submitting any traffic regulation orders or planning permissions that may be required.
Transport Hub: This report outlines the next steps towards the creation of a Transport Hub on a 1.6acre site off Osborne Street in the town centre. The report, which states how the scheme will ‘complement and enhance other regeneration activities across the wider Grimsby Town Centre’, asks for approval for various actions to take forward the hub concept.
The proposed hub, says the report, would be sited behind current vacant units on Osborne Street which the council owns and are due to be demolished. It would also include the use of the car park at Garden Street.
If this report is approved, it would allow work to go ahead to work up and deliver phase one of a ‘multi-functional’ hub for buses, cycles and other users – connecting people with the railway station. It would bring all the existing town centre bus stops together.
“The residents of North East Lincolnshire deserve a fit for purpose transportation hub that allows quick easy access to public transport services in a central location near to rail, retail and town centre amenities,” says the report.
It outlines how finances to fund phase one of this hub would be supported by £1.7m from the Bus Service Improvement Plan. It is anticipated that a further £1.9m would be provided through the Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority (GLCCA), subject to approval.
If the paper is approved, the next stage would be to consult with people and businesses and carry out preliminary surveys before finalising the design, and submitting a planning application for the site.
The council’s Cabinet meets on 18 September to discuss proposals for the schemes, following the discussions at the Scrutiny Panel.
Image credit: North East Lincolnshire Council
