Council leader, Councillor Philip Jackson, has stated that long-awaited regeneration works in Cleethorpes are now expected to begin this winter.
As previously reported, NELC was awarded £18.4 million from the government’s Levelling Up Fund to deliver major improvements to the Pier Gardens, the Market Place, and the former Waves site on Sea Road.
The projects have faced a series of delays, with work on the Market Place first disrupted by COVID and later expected to begin in 2024, before Councillor Jackson said work was “likely to start after the summer period” of 2025. Regeneration of the Pier Gardens was also due to start this autumn, but North East Lincolnshire Council said the tender process had to be restarted to “refine certain elements.” Progress on Sea Road was similarly affected by the pandemic, and although demolition work took place earlier this year, the site has remained dormant since.
Start dates have now been set for winter 2025 – the latest shift in a series of changing timelines.
The lack of visible progress has drawn criticism from many including local MP Melanie Onn, who described the process as “stop-start chaos.”
In the most recent update, delivered via a live Q&A session, Councillor Jackson announced the latest timeline.
He asked for the public’s patience, stating: “We’re going to be seeing particularly in Cleethorpes over the next year, a lot of disruption with the Levelling Up Fund projects in Sea Road, Pier Gardens and the Market Place. They’re all going to be starting this winter. We apologise in advance for the disruption but it is going to make a huge difference, a huge improvement to Cleethorpes.”
He added that once complete, Cleethorpes will be “the jewel in the crown of the East Coast”.
Part of the Gi Grimsby News team since 2020.