More than 100 protest against Grimsby West development

More than a hundred protesters chanted and waved placards in a demonstration against the Grimsby West development outside council offices.

The large crowd chanted “Save the Freshney Valley” and waved signs in protest to 3,500 proposed homes proposed around a new Western relief road.

The group made their opinions clear outside Grimsby Town Hall as North East Lincolnshire council members arrived for a full council meeting.

NELC has requested £36m in the government’s Levelling Up funding for a relief road from the A46 near Morrisons roundabout to A1136 junction on the A180, allowing for a massive expansion of housing.

The long-anticipated project has been in the pipeline since the 2018 local plan.

However, protesters are worried about the environmental impact and feel they haven’t been properly consulted.

Steve Holland said:

“We are all here to protest the council’s application to the Levelling Up Fund to build a new road which could be better spent in the town here. Once those roads are built and the area’s filled up with new housing estates, we’re going to face the same problems we have now.

“More traffic congestion, more urban sprawl – we need to be thinking much more imaginatively about how we spend that money to rejuvinate Grimsby town centre and persuade people to live here. That will solve all sorts of problems simultaneously.

“We’re not going to be spoiling the countryside – we want to actually create something for future generations.

“The Victorians did it – there’s absolutely no reason why we can’t do it here in Grimsby.”

The gathering could be heard as residents put their questions directly to local leaders.

Addressing the council leader, resident Lindsey Downs said the plans seem to have come out of nowhere.

She asked:

“Clearly this will have a very large impact in the nearby wards and across Grimsby, and as you can hear there is widespread opposition to those plans. Many people feel they were never engaged on the question – when will formal consultation happen?”

Council leader Philip Jackson defended the engagement with the public and said:

“We very much welcome the public interest and interaction.

“The council will hear whether the bid for government Levelling Up funding has been successful in the autumn, and it is only if successful that a business case will be developed.

“The plans were part of the local plan which was unanimously agreed by the council in March 2017, including the leaders of all parties.

“The public were extensively consulted on this, and will also be able to have their say regarding the masterplan and submitting comments on any planning applications.

“Natural England and the Environment Agency are required to be consultees, and they are very demanding and have the power to halt developments.”