Planners to decide on changes at Humberston holiday park this week
Humberston residents have criticised proposals for changes to a showbar, carousel bar and owners’ exclusive lounge in Thorpe Park as a “nail in the coffin for Fitties”
Last updated 9th Jun 2024
Humberston residents have criticised proposals for changes to a showbar, carousel bar and owners’ exclusive lounge in Thorpe Park as a “nail in the coffin for Fitties”.
Haven Leisure Ltd, who run Thorpe Park, want to rename the Owners Lounge to Food Outlet, to redo and extend the layout of the showbar, and also rename that Marina Showbar. Changes to the showbar proposed include extending its footprint to have a relocated bar area, glass wash and bottle store, new fixed kitchen and new dark seating, as well as a new accessible toilet area.
If approved, there will also be new screens, ramps and fixed seating throughout the Marina Showbar, external decking on part of the outside and a new stage and backstage area to one side of the building. There will be a dispense bar, Wondershop, and Costa Coffee express machine in the stage area too.
Haven Leisure Ltd have not applied to vary its existing permitted opening hours. The application will be decided by a licensing sub-committee of North East Lincolnshire Council on Thursday, February 9. Seven Humberston residents have objected on prevention of public nuisance grounds, mostly focused on noise concerns.
Humberston Fitties is both a road and conservation area by Thorpe Park. Residents have been vocal before about planning proposals viewed by them as threatening the Fitties nature and architectural and social heritage. This application is no exception.
One resident has called the proposed showbar changes “yet another nail in The Fitties coffin”. The same objector admits the proposed licensing amendment is minor in itself, but goes onto say: “Every such amendment ignore public nuisance of unacceptable noise emissions that affect the amenity of local chalet park residences at The Fitties, which in turn causes resentment and sleeplessness.”
“The additional skylights and rear doors will increase the noise levels
to our property,” says another neighbouring objector, who adds that it would affect their personal enjoyment of their chalet. An enlarged bar area potentially leading to more bottles delivered and empties is also an issue for them. The deliveries and skip emptying is sorted often at “unsociable early hours of the morning” disturbing the sleep of the woman.
“Unacceptable levels of noise” are consistently cited by neighbours objecting to the proposed showbar changes. References are made by several to previous noise issues, with one man claiming that the council have had over 250 complaints about noise, nuisance, and loss of amenity related to Haven Leisure Ltd.
The council has clarified in a case document that 19 noise-related complaints have been received against the holiday park since 2015. All but one of these was closed after noise diary forms to log the problem were not returned. Where a noise diary was returned, it resulted in a lower noise level for sound equipment linked to Thorpe Park’s outdoor stage.
Several objectors also mention the creation of the outdoor entertainment area at Thorpe Park. This, along with adventure facilities including a big jump, got planning approval in December 2021. The jump and adventure village was opened last Summer by Team GB triathlete and Olympic medallist Vicky Holland.
But the outdoor entertainment area was installed in a different position to planned, leading to a retrospective application for this in June 2022. Opportunity for members of the public to have their say has been extended twice due to applicant noise reports emerging later in the process.
To date, this has had over 300 comments from neighbours. It remains pending consideration, with the original expected decision date six months ago.
Noise limiters on the Marina Showbar’s external terrace speakers has been agreed as a condition if councillors see fit to approve the proposed showbar and food outlet changes.