North Lincolnshire Council has approved amendments to the £4.5m Market Place regeneration scheme in Cleethorpes without holding a formal public consultation, a move that has prompted objections from some campaigners and town centre business owners.
What the revisions include
The changes agreed by cabinet on 15 July will:
- retain 12 seasonal parking spaces within Market Place;
- introduce a two-year trial offering up to one hour free parking in St Peter’s Avenue and Victoria car parks.
The council estimates the cost of these alterations at about £160,000 over two years, of which roughly £145,000 is attributed to lost parking revenue during the free-parking trial.
Decision taken despite scrutiny recommendation
Concerns about the lack of formal consultation were raised at a special economy, culture and tourism scrutiny panel on 10 July. That panel voted 5–1 in favour of carrying out a consultation on the proposed changes, but cabinet chose to proceed unanimously with the alterations without the broader public exercise the panel recommended.
“I’m really pleased that the hour free parking has been agreed too – this will help support local businesses throughout the resort.”
The remark above was made at the meeting by Cllr Oliver Freeston (Reform UK, Croft Baker ward), the council leader who holds regeneration in his portfolio and who introduced the proposals on behalf of the new minority administration.
Local objections and safety concerns
Speakers at the meeting included the organiser of a petition urging that Market Place’s redevelopment continue as originally planned; they asked cabinet not to alter the scheme. Local business owners have also voiced opposition. Paul Campling, proprietor of The Studio Bar, raised safety concerns about allowing the 12 parking spaces in Market Place.
Cabinet members were told the changes had been discussed with some businesses and residents, and that the revisions were intended to address parking-related concerns identified since the scheme began on site in May.
| Change | Estimated cost/impact |
|---|---|
| Keep 12 seasonal parking spaces in Market Place | Not separately costed in report; raised safety concerns among traders |
| Two-year trial: up to one hour free parking (St Peter’s Ave & Victoria car parks) | Estimated £145,000 loss of revenue over two years |
| Total estimated effect of changes over two years | £160,000 |
Next steps
Although cabinet did not carry out an open consultation before approving the changes, the decision will be followed by statutory processes required for traffic changes: the proposals will be subject to consultation on any new traffic regulation orders (TROs) and must pass road safety audits for the revised design.
The Market Place project, funded in part by Government Levelling Up funding, aims to rejuvenate Cleethorpes town centre by encouraging outdoor events, dining and visitor footfall. Work started on site in May.
At this stage the council has not announced any further public engagement beyond the statutory TRO consultations. Opponents of the amendments have indicated they will continue to press for their original redevelopment plans to be retained.
