£20 million game changer for Lincoln

Steve Fisher
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£20 million game changer for Lincoln

The city council’s Executive are set to discuss how a successful bid for a new railway bridge connecting Skellingthorpe Road to Tritton Road could be a ‘game changer’ Lincoln’s Western Growth Corridor

At Executive on 17 October, members will discuss the city council’s bid for Levelling Up Funding Round 2 and its importance in bringing forward crucial plans for a new railway bridge in the city. Earlier this year, the city council, with support from Lincoln’s Member of Parliament Karl McCartney submitted a bid for £20million to government to bring forward the Western Growth Corridor bridge plans to help alleviate congestion in the area. City of Lincoln Council, sitting as Planning Committee, approved the Western Growth Corridor plans on 12 January 2022. Western Growth Corridor, which will be jointly delivered by City of Lincoln Council and Lindum Western Growth Community Ltd, will be the largest project undertaken in the city for decades, bringing more than £500 million worth of investment into Lincoln over its lifetime and providing hundreds of jobs locally. The development will supply the city with 3,200 much needed new homes, a leisure village, an industrial park and transport infrastructure that will help alleviate some of Lincoln’s worst traffic problems. Significant time has been taken to plan transport infrastructure which will improve the overall road network in the area, including a new spine road, which will run through the centre of the development, providing a main road to connect the development into the city centre and surrounding area. This will connect Skellingthorpe Road to Tritton Road via a new bridge over the railway, which will play a major part in helping ease current congestion at the railway crossing. Subject to Levelling Up funding from government of £20 million, the bridge project is set to be brought forward, and has been highlighted as a ‘game changer’ for traffic concerns in the western part of the city. Subject to detailed technical highway approval, official works, including a new signalised junction into the development on Skellingthorpe Road/Birchwood Avenue, are set to begin in late Spring/Summer 2023. Plans are currently being developed to minimise disruption for local residents, businesses and commuters during these works. Leader of the city council, Cllr Ric Metcalfe, said: “The Western Growth Corridor has significant local importance for the growth of the city, and this funding would be a game changer in accelerating the delivery of the project. “If we could secure the £20 million funding it would enable us to deliver much needed homes for the city far earlier than initially planned, along with securing many construction jobs for local people. “However, unfortunately, we are told that the second round of the levelling up fund is heavily over-subscribed, and Government has not yet said how much they are going to allocate for a project such as this. “With continuous financial pressures on local authorities, we hope for a positive outcome when Levelling Up Round Two funding is announced later this year.”

Latest round of demolition to start in £7.5m project overhauling North East Lincolnshire Council’s Doughty Road depot

Tess Egginton
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Latest round of demolition to start in £7.5m project overhauling North East Lincolnshire Council’s Doughty Road depot
Contractors are set to start the latest round of demolition as part of a £7.5 million project to overhaul North East Lincolnshire Council’s Doughty Road depot. Work at the Grimsby town centre site started in January this year and will see the depot transformed into a sustainable worksite as part of the Council’s drive to tackle climate change. Sustainable innovations that the Council and its regeneration partner Equans are planning for the new depot include:
  • Rain water harvesting for jet wash and lorry wash
  • Solar panels with battery storage
  • Air source/ground source heat pumps for heating offices and welfare facilities
  • Electric vehicle charging points on most parking spaces with solar canopies overhead
  • Large cycle store to support more staff who want to bike to work
  • Landscaping including trees and green areas to improve air quality and support biodiversity.
North East Lincolnshire Council (NELC) aims to be carbon Net Zero by 2040 and adopted an action plan in December last year to reach the ambitious goal. The Carbon Roadmap sets out the Council’s aims to cut its carbon emissions to net zero by 2040 and for North East Lincolnshire to be carbon Net Zero by 2050. Net Zero means reducing carbon emissions as much as possible and balancing the remainder through investing in programmes that increase carbon storage, such as planting more trees or artificial storage solutions. The depot transformation follows other energy-saving improvements such as introducing more electric vehicles to the Council’s fleet and upgrades to council-owned buildings. Cllr Stewart Swinburn, portfolio holder for environment and transport at North East Lincolnshire Council, said: “As a council, we’re investing millions-of-pounds in ambitious plans to give Grimsby town centre a fresh start. “Combining our depots on one site will bring more of our staff into town and support the local economy. Once complete, we will have about 300 employees at the site. “The redevelopment improves the energy efficiency of our buildings, provides better facilities for staff who choose to cycle to work and helps us move toward a zero-emissions vehicle fleet as part of our action plan to tackle climate change. “It will also reduce our property maintenance costs and provide good quality facilities for the workforce.” The next phase of demolition at the Doughty Road depot starts on Monday 17 October. The row of buildings earmarked for demolition are next to the railway line and the Council can’t work on them while the line is in use. Network Rail is closing the railway line between 12:15am and 5am for five nights from Monday 17 to Friday 21 October. Contractors will demolish the buildings during the hours when the line is closed. They will work hard to keep disruption to a minimum but there could be some noise from the site while the works take place. The Council has written to more than 90 households near the site to let them know about the work and to apologise in advance for any inconvenience it may cause. In addition to the energy-saving innovations at the new depot, the Council and Equans are working closely with contractors to reduce the environmental impact of the demolition and construction works. One way this is happening is by recycling materials from the demolished buildings.
Depot transformation
NELC and its regeneration partner Equans are combining all their depot services in Doughty Road to update the facilities and bring more of their workers into the town centre. This means changing the site layout, demolishing some of the existing buildings and constructing some new buildings to create a functional, modern depot. They currently have two depots for operational services. One site is in Gilbey Road, the other is in Doughty Road. These sites are for services such as waste and recycling, highway maintenance, fleet management, street cleansing, security, civil enforcement, property maintenance, licensing, grounds maintenance and ecology. The depot remains active while the works are carried out with areas secured and fenced off during the different construction phases. The full refurbishment is due for completion in 2023.

Victorian explorers are coming to East Lindsey markets

Tess Egginton
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Victorian explorers are coming to East Lindsey markets

The Earth Bound Misfits, an entertainment company with a team of over 40 years’ experience, perform a wide range of acts including the Victorian Explorers, who will be coming to East Lindsey markets during the half-term break.

Through the perspective of a Victorian mind, the Victorian Explorers are adventurers visiting the modern world who will provide visitors with humour and fun. Councillor Adam Grist, portfolio holder for market and the rural economy, said: “Our markets are so important to our district, so we hope that these special events will provide our markets with more vibrancy for our residents and visitors to enjoy, and encourage more families into our town centres during the school holidays to enjoy what’s on offer.” They will be visiting a number of places around East Lindsey between 10am and 2pm, using the following schedule:
  • Louth, 22 October 2022
  • Spilsby, 24 October 2022
  • Alford, 25 October 2022
  • Horncastle, 27 October 2022
  • Wainfleet, 28 October 2022
Come and see the Victorian Explorers in action this half-term for all the family to enjoy.

Lincoln Cathedral chapel dedicated to the emergency services and NHS

Tess Egginton
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Lincoln Cathedral chapel dedicated to the emergency services and NHS
In the first of its kind in the country, a chapel within Lincoln Cathedral has been dedicated for members of the emergency services and the NHS. This unique space is one of a kind and offers a place where family and friends can gather, reflect and pause with quiet contemplation on the lives of those who have served with Ambulance, Police, Fire and Rescue, and the National Health Service. The chapel itself includes four commissioned gilded panels by the Cathedral Illuminator displaying each service’s crest, which are placed in the four arches of the chapel, and a beautiful hand embroidered altar cloth by the Cathedral Embroiders’ Guild. A book of remembrance has also been hand crafted to reflect the sacrifice made by members of the four services. Lincolnshire Police Chief Constable Chris Haward said: “It is a great privilege to have the chapel dedicated for Emergency Service personnel who have given their lives to service. We are especially grateful to Lincoln Cathedral for setting this space aside within such a majestic and beautiful building. “For the families and friends who have lost someone, it will mean a lot to be able to attend the chapel for those moments of quiet pause and reflection. It is a fitting tribute and an honour to be here with all our colleagues and friends across the emergency services.”

Bid to be submitted to officially recognise Isle of Axholme for its outstanding natural beauty

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Bid to be submitted to officially recognise Isle of Axholme for its outstanding natural beauty
A move to have the Isle of Axholme recognised for its outstanding natural beauty will be made by North Lincolnshire Council. The council will work with Natural England to protect areas from across Crowle, through Belton and Epworth and surrounding towns and villages through an official designation as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The area is home to many rare and valuable ecological and cultural landscapes, including England’s largest areas of lowland raised mire, some of the most extensive surviving medieval strip field systems in the country, and the first landscapes in Britain to be drained by Dutch engineer Cornelius Vermuyden in the 1620s. Cllr Rob Waltham, leader of North Lincolnshire Council, said: “The unique landscape across the Isle of Axholme should be protected now and into the future – it is an area of outstanding natural beauty, and we will now press ahead to ensure it is properly recognised as such. “We are already working to ensure an extension to the Lincolnshire Wolds and this next development will form part of a broader commitment to protecting and enhancing our natural environment for generations to come.” The council is working with Natural England which is currently creating a new assessment and national map which will identify nature conservation and enhancement needs across England, including any remaining places suitable for future National Park or AONB designations. This latest bid comes after the council previously submitted plans to extend the boundary of the Lincolnshire Wolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) across the area. The proposed variation is to have the existing boundary extended to include Kirton-in-Lindsey on the southern border of North Lincolnshire through to the banks of the River Trent taking in Normanby, Burton-upon-Stather and Alkborough. It would then extend east taking in Barton-upon-Humber and across to New Holland before sweeping back around picking up Ulceby, Kirmington and parts of Brigg. Cllr David Rose, cabinet member for the environment, said: “We have made a very serious commitment through our Green Futures strategy to ensure the many beautiful places across North Lincolnshire are protected and enhanced. “Alongside the preservation of this natural beauty is the protection of the natural habitats for a huge range of wildlife. “We will now be working with communities across the Isle of Axholme to make sure we can make this vision a reality.”

Nine years and six months for knife and hammer attacker

Tess Egginton
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A man who attacked a woman in her 50s with a knife and hammer and threw scalding water over a man in his 20s has been jailed for nine years and six months. The assault by Mark Hough, 55, previously of Manchester Way, Grantham, left the woman with multiple puncture wounds and the man with burns to his body. Lincoln Crown Court heard how officers were called to reports of an assault involving three people in Manchester Way, Grantham at 9.51pm on Wednesday 27 October 2021. Hough had been in the property with the younger victim when they began to argue, and a short while later, he threw scalding water from a pan over the victim. Fifteen minutes after that assault, the woman arrived at the property and an argument broke out, after which Hough picked up a knife and proceeded to stab her multiple times before striking her with a hammer. She managed to escape to a neighbour’s property before calling police. Thanks to a swift response by officers, Hough was arrested near to the scene a short time later. He was initially charged with attempted murder and assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH), which he pleaded not guilty to. He later admitted responsibility for grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent, as well the ABH charge. Lead officer in the investigation with Grantham Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Detective Constable Lee Papworth, said the successful court result was down to a thorough investigation involving officers and staff from the CID, forensics, response officers, and PCSOs, as well as CPS. He said: “This was a sustained attack on two individuals who, after healing from their physical wounds, will now forever live with the emotional scars of being on the receiving end of such as vicious assault. “I would like to thank the victims for their cooperation with our investigation, and I hope that the sentence Hough has been handed will now enable to them to move forward. “I would also like to thank everyone involved in the investigation, from witnesses to the officers and staff and officers conducting enquiries at the scene and in the months after. “This case highlights the horrific impact using a weapon can have, and as a Force we will continue to tackle the issue of knife crime in the county through Operation Raptor.” Hough appeared at Lincoln Crown Court for sentencing on Friday 30 September. He was jailed for eight years for causing GBH with intent in relation to the knife and hammer attack, and received a further 18 month consecutive jail term for ABH in relation to the scalding water incident. He was also given a restraining order against the female until further notice. A deprivation order for a knife and a hammer was also ordered, and he was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £190. He has been remanded into custody since being charged, and has now begun his sentence.

International Bomber Command Centre unveils Falkland Islands tribute

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International Bomber Command Centre unveils Falkland Islands tribute
The International Bomber Command Centre (IBCC), Lincoln has unveiled a new installation paying tribute to those who lost their lives during the 1982 war on The Falkland Islands with Argentina. On display at the IBCC until January 2023, the remembrance installation has been created by Standing with Giants, a voluntary community project set up by founder Dan Barton, and is identical to another currently in The Falkland Islands. The poignant display represents 255 silhouetted life-size figures of Seafarers, Royal Marines, Army, and Airmen and three civilians who lost their lives during the 1982 war on The Falkland Islands with Argentina. It commemorates the 40th anniversary of liberation on June 14th, 2022. The silhouettes are framed by poppy wreaths marking the installation’s purpose – recognition and remembrance. IBCC’s CEO, Nicky van der Drift, says: “The IBCC’s focus has always been on honouring those who served and remembrance of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. It is a huge honour for us to be able to pay tribute to the fallen of the Falkland’s War with this powerful and emotive installation. To have it here over the Remembrance week will bring additional poignancy for visitors.”

Plans underway for next year after successful first Grim FalFest

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Plans underway for next year after successful first Grim FalFest

More than 22,000 people visited Grimsby town centre to enjoy the town’s first Viking festival according to official footfall figures.

The night sky was lit up on the evening of Friday 23 September as Grim the Viking, the legendary Norse merchant, sailed up the River Haven in his two longships kickstarting a packed weekend featuring re-enactment camps, battles, expert talks, parades, entertainment and markets.

Grim the Viking’s legendary tale was brought to life in front of a crowd of thousands who lined the waterfront outside the Fishing Heritage Centre where a beacon was lit before Grim was warmly welcomed ashore from his longships the Valhalla and Heron, as part of the event which was supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Families enjoyed dancing to a traditional Ceilidh band in Riverhead Square, took part in traditional crafts and enjoyed local artisan food and drink in the lively market square.

Julia Thompson, chair of VESR CIC, said: “We’re delighted this first event went so well and I hope everyone who came along enjoyed meeting Grim and his Vikings. It was great to see the town centre, Minster Square and People’s Park packed with families and visitors all having fun and finding out about the Vikings.”

Feedback from the public was overwhelmingly positive with many already looking ahead to the return of the festival in 2023. Visitor comments included calling Grim FalFest “the best I’ve ever seen in our town” while a second said “the event made me proud to be from Grimsby.” A third said: “It was a really great event, please come back. It was really interesting and educational but fun at the same time.”

Hannah Thompson, business manager at Heritage Lincolnshire, said: “On behalf of Heritage Lincolnshire, it has been incredible to see the impact that this event has made on Grimsby and the way everyone young and old enjoyed reconnecting with the history of their town. We are so proud to have been a part of that and we hope that journey continues on the lead up to the 2023 event.”

Organisers thanked everyone involved including local traders who took a chance on the first event and reported bumper sales over the weekend. Local businesses created special products from Riverhead Coffee’s Viking biscuits, Curious Cat’s cocktail, Docks Beer’s Grim Brew and a stunning silver bracelet by Silver Boo Jewellery.

Students from the Grimsby Institute gave performances of Scandinavian inspired songs to entertain the audience and volunteer ambassadors from the local community joined event stewards handing out free goody bags to children by local arts organisation Our Big Picture.

Details of next year’s event will be released in due course.

The Lincolnshire County Wedding Show – an ultimate day of wedding planning!

Tess Egginton
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The Lincolnshire County Wedding Show – an ultimate day of wedding planning!
Join us at the Lincolnshire County Wedding Show for an ultimate day of wedding planning! Taking place Sunday 20th November at The Lincolnshire Showground, Lincoln (11.00am- 3.00pm), see the region’s greatest wedding suppliers display their products and services! Whether you have just started planning your wedding or you have just a few things left to organise, you will find everything you need to plan your special day at this spectacular event. You will find plenty of wedding inspiration- see décor experts, incredible cake specialists, wedding ring boutiques, formal attire professionals, leaders in wedding entertainment, trusted photographers, incredible bridal hair specialists, luxury vehicle hire and much, much more! Get wedding gown inspired by watching the fashion shows at 12.00pm and 1.45pm whilst enjoying a complimentary glass of bubbly. To ensure you get the most out of your day…
  • Visit www.cupidsweddingshows.com and download your complimentary tickets!
  • Bring labels with your name and address printed on them. Many exhibitors will ask for your details usually to send your further information and offers after the event. If you already have these printed it will save you a lot of time on the day!
  • You could create a temporary wedding email address to pass on to suppliers. Many people do not like passing on their personal email address – this way suppliers can still send you information and offers after the show.
  • Bring money for a deposit. Many suppliers offer a discount for the show day only – don’t miss securing a service because you couldn’t give a deposit
  • Bring swatches of material or ribbon in your chosen colour scheme to help when talking to exhibitors (for example florists could recommend certain flowers in season the date of your wedding which will match your chosen colours)
  • Talk to as many suppliers as you can – many will have gifts for every couple…and most of all – enjoy your day!
If you are a wedding supplier and would like to join us to showcase your wedding services please get in touch ASAP! Email cupidsweddings@gmail.com or visit www.cupidsweddingshows.com for further information.

Bird of prey poisoned in Horncastle

Tess Egginton
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Bird of prey poisoned in Horncastle
Lincolnshire Police’s Rural Crime Action Team (RCAT) are investigating the suspected poisoning of three birds of prey in the Belchford area of Horncastle. On 4 October, the team conducted multi agency searches in the area along with officers from the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU), the RSPB and Natural England. During the searches they recovered various items which are believed to be linked to the offences under investigation. The offences include the suspected poisoning of three birds, two Buzzards and one Red Kite. Inspector Jason Baxter, from Lincolnshire Special Operations Unit, said: “Lincolnshire police will not tolerate the persecution of our wildlife and any offences reported to us will be thoroughly and expeditiously investigated and offenders will be dealt with robustly.” Investigations are ongoing and one male suspect has been identified who will be interviewed in due course. Investigating officer, Detective Constable Aaron Flint said: “A number of Birds of Prey appear to have been poisoned in the Horncastle area. We would appeal for anyone with any information to contact us.” If any members of the public have information that could assist with the investigation please call 101 or email force.control@lincs.police.uk. Please remember to quote incident number 22000367672.
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