Monthly Archive 10 October 2025

A MASTERPLAN detailing the proposed ‘Grimsby West’ development site has been discussed at a North East Lincolnshire Council Cabinet meeting.

After considering the paper, Cabinet members voted not to approve the Masterplan straight away.  Instead, they deferred any decision until points raised at a recent scrutiny panel were answered by the private developers behind the scheme.

The Grimsby West proposal includes 3,500 new homes set around a country park with open space, a link road and new schools, stretching from the A46 to the west of Morrisons through to the A1136 west of Wybers Wood.

The site is allocated in the Local Plan 2013 to 2032 (Adopted 2018) as a Strategic Housing Site under Policy 14.

This policy within the Local Plan requires a Masterplan for the Grimsby West site to be submitted to the Council before planning applications for development on the site are determined.  A masterplan is not a planning application but outlines a vision and guidelines for the overall development.

Now complete and published, the Grimsby West Masterplan was initially discussed by members of North East Lincolnshire Council’s Transport, Infrastructure and Strategic Housing Scrutiny Panel.

Councillors on the Panel voiced concern in three areas:

1. Flood risk and waterflow and pollution into the River Freshney;

2. The need for the completion of a Traffic Assessment;

3. The need for more graphic detail on the Freshney Valley Country Park.

Those concerns and comments were then considered by Cabinet members, who met tonight to make their decision on the plan. After hearing the points raised, they went against a report paper recommendation to approve the Masterplan and instead agreed on the deferment.

The developers will now be asked to amend the Masterplan to address the above issues.

Following the Cabinet vote and decision, the Portfolio Holder for Housing, Infrastructure and Transport, Cllr Stewart Swinburn, said: “As a council we must ensure we take the appropriate and correct advice and follow all the necessary and statutory steps to consider plans of this nature and that is what we are doing and will continue to do.”

Grimsby West is a private development however due to the number of inquiries, the council has a factual question and answer at: https://www.nelincs.gov.uk/planning-and-building-control/grimsby-west/

North East Lincolnshire Council is relaunching a scheme to help communities safely clean an alleyway or open space in their neighbourhood.

Clear It aims to help people who live with alleyways or patches of neglected land that suffer with fly-tipping and littering.

Last year, the scheme helped to transform several alleyways across the area including Castle Street on Grimsby’s East Marsh, with over seven tonnes of waste cleared including a fridge and unicorn head.

This year, applications open on Wednesday, 1 November, with anyone interested asked to email cleanandgreen@nelincs.gov.uk. by the end of December to apply.

It’s hoped that, should there be enough applicants, the Council will be able to help clean an alleyway or piece of land in each ward, with work starting in the New Year.

How does it work?

With Clear It, the Voluntary Community Clearance scheme, the Council aims to support communities to come together, safely clean up an alleyway or an open space in their area and improve community pride.

Volunteers will take responsibility for removing waste from an alleyway or patch of land and Council staff will help dispose of it.

The Council will also lend equipment such as litter pickers, bin bags and large bins.

Officers will arrange a site meeting with successful applicants to assess the site, the amount of waste and agree a date for the work.

Councillor Henry Hudson, portfolio holder for Environment and Net Zero, said: “We’re bringing back Clear It to help those who are willing to come together and clear illegally dumped waste from an alleyway or patch of neglected land that’s not owned by the Council.

“When we first launched Clear It in 2022, we helped volunteers dispose of 48.73 tonnes of illegally dumped waste from problem areas.

“We’d like to see these types of spaces given a fresh start so they become vibrant places the community can enjoy and make better use of.

“If you are keen to transform a neglected alleyway or patch of land, please use the online application form at www.nelincs.gov.uk/alleyways .”

 Councillor Ron Shepherd, portfolio holder for Safer and Stronger Communities, added: “Clear It gives people the opportunity to work with their neighbours and take ownership of their shared space.

“We sympathise with people whose lives are affected by mess left in their alleyways and want to do as much as we can to help them.

“Not all wards have alleyways, so to make the scheme fair and open to all parts of the borough, we are including patches of land that aren’t part of the Council’s usual street cleansing duties. These might be small areas where the owner can’t be traced or where it’s not clear who’s responsible for it.

“We’re willing to help those who organise themselves and put plans in place to try and bring their alleyway or a neglected patch of land into use after we’ve helped them by disposing of the rubbish.”

Visit www.nelincs.gov.uk/alleyways/ for more details. If you have questions about the scheme, please email cleanandgreen@nelincs.gov.uk.

Article and image from NELC.

Two years on from the launch of the Clear Hold Build initiative on the Nunthorpe Estate in Grimsby, the community is seeing the benefits of a coordinated and determined effort to disrupt organised crime and build community resilience.

Since the initiative began in September 2023, Humberside Police, North East Lincolnshire Council, and community groups have worked together to deliver long term, sustainable improvements for local residents and visitors.

Underpinned by the national 4P approach to tackling serious and organised crime (Pursue, Prevent, Protect, and Prepare) officers and partners have focused on tackling criminal activity, supporting vulnerable individuals, and strengthening the community.

Over the past 24 months, several targeted actions have taken place:

Crime reduction: Between July 2024 and June 2025, reported incidents on the estate fell by 5.1% compared to the previous year. Public order offences dropped by 53.6%, anti-social behaviour by 35.1%, and road-related offences by 30.4%.

Community engagement: Officers have increased visibility through youth clubs, street surgeries, and school programmes such as Mini Police, which aim to build trust and raise awareness among younger people.

Safeguarding efforts: A funded passive drugs dog has been deployed in local colleges to help identify early signs of exploitation and positive interventions are made in partnership with schools and agencies to support those at risk.

Partnership working: Initiatives such as the South Ward Forward neighbourhood watch group and the Local Housing Partnership’s Neighbourhood Action Plan have helped improve communication and coordination across services.

Councillor Ron Shepherd, Portfolio Holder for Safer and Stronger Communities, said: “The reduction in crime and anti-social behaviour is a clear indicator that Clear, Hold, Build is achieving exactly what it set out to do.

“Every organisation involved is playing their part to make the Nunsthorpe and surrounding areas a safe and welcoming place for those who live and work there.”

He added: “However, this isn’t the end. We will continue with the excellent work we have already carried out to ensure the area is in the best position it can be.”

Neighbourhood Policing Inspector Claire Jacobs added: “The Clear Hold Build initiative has enabled us to take a more coordinated and intelligence-led approach to tackling organised crime and safeguarding vulnerable people on the Nunsthorpe Estate.

“Through close partnership working and regular engagement with residents, we’ve been able to respond to concerns, disrupt criminal activity, and support those most at risk.

“Our teams have executed several drug warrants in the area, targeting addresses linked to organised crime and acting on information provided to us by the community.

“These actions not only help remove harmful influences but also play a vital role in identifying and protecting individuals who may be at risk of exploitation, including those living in cuckooed properties. We have also responded to concerns raised by residents through platforms like HumberTalking and My Community Alert.

“Operations such as Op Yellowfin have also addressed anti-social behaviour and illegal vehicle use, while multi-agency meetings ensure we remain aligned and responsive to emerging issues.

“The reduction in crime figures over the past year is making a positive impact and reflects the collective effort of officers, partners, and residents.

“While there’s still work to do, we’re optimistic about the direction we’re heading and remain committed to building on this momentum and continuing this work to make Nunsthorpe a safer and more resilient place for everyone.

“If you have concerns or information about crime in the area, please speak to an officer or contact us report via our non-emergency number 101.

“Alternatively, you can report information via the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

Article and image from NELC.