ON AIR NOW:

Council acts to preserve town’s community facilities with special status designation

A host of community facilities and historic sites in a small North Lincolnshire town have been given special status to help protect from development.

North Lincolnshire Council has awarded assets of community value status to six venues in Kirton in Lindsey. These include the town library and youth centre, and former Ministry of Defence (MoD) facilities, including an officers’ mess.

An asset of community value means a site is recognised for its benefit to the community. If any owner wants to sell the facilities, the local community are notified, and have a legal right to a fair bid. Six months are allowed to raise funds.

Read More:

The town council had applied for the locations to be given the status. The sites with the asset of community value designation are:

  • Kirton Lindsey’s library and youth centre in King Edward Street
  • The Vincent Hall, York Road
  • Former MOD Sports Field, York Road
  • Tennis Courts off York Road
  • Officers’ Mess off York Road

An asset of community value designation lasts up to five years. All the sites have been assets of community value before, except the officers’ mess.

A previous application in 2022 was turned down because of its then “residential use”, hosting RAF functions. It was still used by personnel who worked at RAF Scampton. The RAF’s subsequent closure of that Lincolnshire base has meant the officers’ mess no longer offers social facilities for RAF officers.

“We are happy to support these applications by Kirton Town Council to protect these key community assets,” said Cllr Rob Waltham, North Lincolnshire Council leader. “Some of these are connected to the RAF base in the town and are used by the local community or could be brought back into use for the benefit of local people.

“This decision helps protect these areas from development, and while North Lincolnshire does need more homes – particularly for older people – these must be built in the right places and not at the expense of much-needed community assets.”



Kirton in Lindsey's library and youth centre
Kirton in Lindsey’s library and youth centre

The former MoD facilities with asset status are the other side of the B1400 to the former RAF airbase where 350 homes were given planning permission earlier this month.

Cllr Carl Sherwood, cabinet member for safer, stronger communities (urban), said: “We have backed communities across the length and breadth of North Lincolnshire – providing things such as community grants, outdoor gym equipment, community libraries and leisure facilities.

“This move to protect community assets is the latest example of how we are backing residents plans and proposals for how their towns and villages can continue to flourish and grow.” Kirton Town Council have identified the officers’ mess as a possible social or recreational facility.

Vincent Hall has a gymnasium and squash courts. The town’s junior football club had use of changing rooms and adjacent fields until 2014, when the MoD mothballed the building. The tennis courts were until recently still used by MoD service personnel.

Want to sign up to the Scunthorpe newsletter, but can’t access the link below? Click here.

The town council has indicated its desire to acquire the facilities for community use. This would be either through direct ownership, or working with other interested parties who intend it for communal use.

Asset of community value status does not guarantee a community facility’s future. Take the current state of the former Lincoln Imp pub in Scunthorpe.

The once iconic music venue has suffered from anti-social behaviour since its closure in August 2022. The council granted it asset of community value status too. Despite local interest in its plight, no community bid has since materialised.

Original artice: https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/all-about/scunthorpe

Scroll to Top