A proposed new medical centre, supermarket and revamped garden centre at Epworth will be decided on by councillors after a site visit.
Nine people spoke on it at North Lincolnshire Council‘s last planning committee. It has divided opinion, with 75 comments in favour and 57 objecting.
The scheme is proposed at Epworth garden centre’s existing site, off Belton Road. Council officers have recommended approval, concluding its benefits “clearly outweigh the harm identified”. Part of the site is outside Epworth’s development limits.
After hearing speaker after speaker, Cllr Carol Ross said: “Because of the complexity of this application, I would propose a site visit.” This was agreed, and is expected to occur before January’s planning meeting.
What is proposed and the arguments for it
Jonathan Millea, Millea Land (Epworth) Ltd and Camstead Ltd are the applicants. Sixty homes and a charity store were part of original plans, but were withdrawn. Instead, it now comprises the health centre, demolition and replacement of the garden centre, a small outdoor education area, and a supermarket.
The 2.12 hectare site would have 216 car spaces in total, 59 purely for the health centre. The applicants estimate it will deliver 100 jobs to Epworth. Agent Paul Butler said 50 full and part-time jobs would be created by the supermarket, 46 with the health centre, and 27 retained at the garden centre.
South Axholme Practice would be based out of the two-storey health centre. The current doctor’s surgery in the High Street has restricted space, particularly for parking. Practice business manager Alastair Kennedy told councillors its current Epworth facility had six clinical rooms. Half were not accessible.
The new building would allow it to bring its administration staff under one roof, and increase clinical capacity by 500 per cent. “A lot of this development would alleviate every single problem we have with regards to delivering the healthcare in the Isle of Axholme.”
Council highways described the 59 dedicated car spaces for patients and staff as “a significant improvement on the current situation”. Mr Millea said the existing garden centre dated from the ’60s and “probably needs about £400,000 spending on it”. He argued the development will provide parking spaces close to the centre of Epworth, encouraging more people to go to town centre shops.
The application also says proposed attenuation tanks will reduce peak surface water flows from the site by 53 per cent. Site drainage was raised by objectors.
(Image: Donna Clifford/GrimsbyLive)
What do objectors say? ‘Ghost town’ danger and road safety
Besides drainage, objectors laid out myriad other issues. The supermarket will not encourage visitors to the town, “it will take away trade, killing town businesses” argued Colin Parker. “The development is not suitable for a market town like this.”
A Church Street business owner representing Epworth Business Forum warned the proposals would result “in another beautiful village turning into a ghost town”. The application’s retail policy statement contends they do not expect much trade diversion from the town centre, and it will reduce people travelling to Scunthorpe for food shopping.
“I do welcome the fact that there are people willing to invest in our community,” said Axholme Central Ward Cllr Tim Mitchell. “The location creates very real access problems,” he said, being “very close” to the traffic lights junction with the High Street. He felt proposed ‘keep clear’ marking was “unlikely” to assist.
(Image: Donna Clifford/GrimsbyLive)
Objector Mrs Moore said currently “the eastern side of Belton Road is too narrow, there’s a need to step into the road to pass people” for pedestrians. A zebra crossing is proposed north of Tottermire Lane on Belton Road, and after input from Epworth Town Council, the applicants pledged improvements all the way to a public right of way from the site to the town centre, past St Andrew’s Church.
Mrs Moore also highlighted how part of the site is outside the development limit for Epworth. She said council proposals to submit part of the Isle of Axholme to be an area of outstanding natural beauty “will be severely compromised”.
Council officers also concluded it would intrude into open countryside, which is protected by a historic landscape designation. But there would be “no identified harm to any features which contribute to the understanding” of the wider historic landscape.
Join the FREE Grimsby Live WhatsApp Community
Get all the latest stories, sent straight to your WhatsApp – all you need to do is click the link.
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Original artice: https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/all-about/scunthorpe
