Monthly Archive 14 January 2026

As work progresses well on removing the asbestos from the plant room at the top of Grimsby Central Library, the next steps for the building are being considered.

A report on the initial high-level estimated costs and timescales for the works to bring the building back into use has gone before Councillors at the cross-party Library Services Select Committee on 14 January.

The Select Committee has previously endorsed the decision made by the NELC Cabinet in October of last year which said that in principle the Central Library should be re-opened subject to confirmation of the options and costs. The report taken to the Select Committee was undertaken externally from the Council, and looks at several options for both the internal and external works needed to bring the building back into use.

Initial work, to remove asbestos from the plant room is ongoing. Following that, as previously reported, there will be access to the roof which could then be inspected and assessed to find out whether it could be repaired, or whether it needs to be replaced. Decisions will then be taken about the next steps.

Once the roof is either repaired or replaced, in order to bring the building back into use, asbestos would need to be removed, as far as practicable, throughout.

Work to remove asbestos from the rest of the building has an estimate, based on market feedback, in the region of around £2.3 million in total (including a contingency allowance) and could take about a year to complete just for that stage of work, including tendering and carrying out the works.

In terms of repairs and refurbishment, there are options within the report about the future use of the building, but all currently include bringing the library back into the basement, ground and mezzanine floors as a minimum.

External works during the refurbishment period could also include replacement of windows as well as the internal works.

Options have been costed in outline for the upper floors, to use these for office space and/or cultural / community use. Depending on the fit-out options for the building, the total works could cost between £12.3m and £13.6m with the earliest potential reopening date of around Spring 2029.

The Select Committee made the following recommendation to the Economy, Culture & Tourism Scrutiny Panel, which is meeting next week on the 22 January:

“That in order to prevent further damage to the Central Library building, and in order to provide full, safe access, capital funding should be agreed on an urgent basis, sufficient to allow roof replacement, appropriate remediation to prevent significant water ingress through other openings, and asbestos removal from the full building, and for the above works to be completed on an urgent basis.”

Committee Chair, Cllr Steve Holland (Independent), said “The Select Committee is still gathering evidence and wants to hear as many views as possible. This is particularly important when deciding the future of Grimsby Central Library.

“We are confident at this stage that a solution can be found which preserves the heritage and unique architecture of the building but which will also make it fit-for-purpose on a practical level and it then becomes a treasured community asset for decades to come.

“The barrier will be cost of course, and that is something that needs to be collectively addressed with the aim of trying to achieve a consensus.”

No final decisions have been made about the future of the library yet.

People who wish to make representations to the Select Committee, should email Democracy@nelincs.gov.uk providing their contact details and – in no more than 150 words – outlining the organisation they represent (if that is the case), the main points they wish to raise and whether they would be interested in addressing the Select Committee in person.

Link to the Select Committee page: Library Services Select Committee | NELC

Article and image from NELC.

North East Lincolnshire Council now has a target to build 622 new homes every year. Government changes to planning regulations have made this mandatory.

That’s 11,196 new homes by 2043.

You can have your say on where we build by taking part in the latest draft Preferred Options Local Plan consultation, which is open now. Once adopted, this plan will last for 15 years from 2028-2043.

You can also come along to our face-to-face event on Saturday January 17 at Cleethorpes Library, Alexandra Road, Cleethorpes, from 9am until 1pm, when  planning officers will be available to answer questions and help you respond to the latest round of consultation. This event will give you a chance to look at the Council’s preferred housing and employment site options.

This Stage Three consultation on the Local Plan began on December 8 and runs until 23.59 on February 1 2026. Electronic and paper copies of the survey questions are available to give everyone the opportunity to have their say.

The statutory review of the Local Plan began two years ago and attracted responses from more than 1,100 individuals at the last consultation. These have been reviewed and will inform the next phase of the process, and you can still have your say, or make new comments, on any, and all aspects of the Local Plan.

The review had to be paused in 2024 to consider and incorporate Government changes that have increased the housing target for many local authorities, including North East Lincolnshire. As a result, the council is now undertaking this further round of consultation and updating evidence in relation to housing and employment need. Draft Plan changes relate to: 

• Jobs growth and employment needs within the plan period
• The requirements for new homes and the distribution of these homes; and
• Specific site allocations for employment and residential uses.

All comments from the 2024 consultation will be considered equally alongside new submissions. Full responses from the earlier consultation are available on the “What People Said” tab consultation portal.- external site 

You can view the Preferred Options document and supporting documents online at www.nelincs.gov.uk/local-plan-review- external site .

Comments on the Preferred Options document can be submitted until 23:59 on Sunday 1 February 2026. You can comment on all parts of the Preferred Options document, or just the specific sections you are interested in.

Paper copies will be available to read at Cleethorpes Library, Immingham Library, Waltham Library, Grimsby Pop-Up Library, The Gingerbread House, Humberston, Scartho Community Library, and the Municipal Offices, Grimsby.

To take part in this Stage Three consultation visit the Local Plan consultation portal at: https://nelincs-consult.objective.co.uk/kse/- external site 

You can also:

• Email: send your comments to spatialplanning@nelincs.gov.uk
• Write to: Spatial Planning, North East Lincolnshire Council, Municipal Offices, Town Hall Square, Grimsby, DN31 1HU.

Article and image from NELC.

Work has started this week to dismantle Abbey Walk car park in Grimsby.

The car park was closed in May 2024 following the discovery of structural defects. Water ingress into key structural supports made the car park unsafe to use.

The demolition of the car park was approved in September 2024 to make way for a surface level car park, with foundations designed to allow for additional levels in future years if needed.

Seeing the demolition start, Cllr Stewart Swinburn, Cabinet member for highways, said: “We know this is a prominent building in the town centre, but it’s no longer fit for purpose. GBM are a respected demolition company, and will be doing this as quickly, and as safely as possible.

“Last year, we took the time to talk to the artist, Harold Gosney, about the reliefs on the car park, and he advised that the panels were cast in situ, with metal bars running through them, which would likely make removal near impossible without damaging them.

“As a result, we commissioned Lincoln University to do 3D imaging of the sculptures that are available for anyone to download from the Council website. We also have high quality photos of them as a permanent record.”

“When we spoke with Harold last year, he was thrilled with the scans and was relieved to know his art will be preserved digitally for generations to come. He was particularly impressed with the scans, explaining that they even had the grains and textures from where he filed them originally before they were cast and put in place.”

In an update this week, Cllr Swinburn said: “As the work started, the contractors have confirmed that the reliefs do indeed have metal bars running through them, and weigh between one and two tons each.

“Copies of the reliefs on the ground floor have been earmarked, and once the demolition team reach the ground floor, they will be able to see whether it might be possible to save one copy of each of them for permanent preservation.”

For more information about the Abbey Walk project, visit www.nelincs.gov.uk/building-our-future.

Article and image from NELC.