Plans for a medical practice and supermarket splitting views in North Lincolnshire town

A major planning application for a small North Lincolnshire town, including a new health centre, is splitting opinion.

A revised application has been made by Millea Land and Yelcon Ltd, part of the Scotfield Group, and Camstead Ltd, at Epworth’s garden centre off Belton Road. Gone are proposals for more than 60 homes and a charity store in the new plans.

The proposals now include demolition and replacement of the garden centre, including a new medical centre, a supermarket and an outdoor education area. Jonathan Millea, of Millea Land, has stated they believe it will “offer massive benefits to the local area”. Grimsby Live went to Epworth to find out residents’ views.

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The new application to North Lincolnshire Council, and its withdrawn predecessor, stand out because of the level of public interest. Almost 90 comments have been made by individuals on the revised scheme. So far, about two-thirds favour it, with several stating a new doctor’s surgery, with parking space, is “desperately needed”.

South Ancholme Practice has expressed support for the scheme. Its submission states the current surgery in High Street, Epworth, would be expected to come forward later for regeneration, potentially for a different purpose. The facility was not built to meet the demand it now faces and consultation rooms are “small and cramped”.

Epworth residents spoken to on a sunny afternoon recently had varied views on the mixed use development, with concerns about traffic and the supermarket, but also support for a new doctor’s surgery.

‘We’ve lived here for nearly 50 years’

Tottermire Lane couple Percy and Sue Daniel have lived in the area for almost 50 years – pre-dating the garden centre, which is four decades old, and when the street was made up of council houses. “When I was a kid, I used to play up there on Church Lane,” said Percy. “I lived next door actually.”

The pair were ambivalent on the scheme. “I don’t like the idea really,” said Percy, whose primary concern was traffic. Sue shared this view, saying: “My only worry is the traffic coming into Belton Road, it’s going to create more.”

But Percy would welcome the health centre and they used the garden centre. The developers’ revised the scheme does not include homes after feedback, but Sue indicated support for more properties, saying: “Some extra homes would have been handy, especially if it was old people’s bungalows.” A friend had not been able to get a property in Epworth because of the prices.

Janet and Jim, on their way back home, shared traffic concerns. “They need a proper crossing,” said Jim. “It takes five to ten minutes to cross the road sometimes,” said Janet. She welcomed the prospect of a health centre with parking facilities.

Ian Greensitt was tending his garden at his home close to the garden centre. “A health centre’s a good idea, because there’s no parking on the street,” he said of the current practice. He could also see the personal benefits of the supermarket. “It’d be handy if I could walk across the road and get a bottle of milk, I must admit,” he said, adding that he mostly travelled out with his granddaughter to do shopping. He did, however, observe lorries passing by along Belton Road, during the chat.

Cara, in Church Street, suggested the current doctor’s “are lacking maybe size”. She also stated the garden centre is “a nice place to meet and visit” and was glad to hear there will still be a garden centre.

Footfall town centre fears

Reaching Market Place and High Street in Epworth, after passing the current doctor’s with its very limited parking space, more people here had strong reservations. “It would be the worst thing to ever happen in the village,” said a local trader, who declined to be named.

They feared the footfall for town centre businesses would drop with the doctor’s outside of the very centre. Wendy Herring agreed with the sentiment. “You’ve only got to walk around Epworth and look at the empty shops for sale.” She took evident pride in the area. “It’s a town that behaves like a village,” she said.

Wendy was looking forward to Epworth Music Day, which she was a committee member for. To be held on June 22, from 10am to 5pm, the event is free and will have 60 bands performing.

Donna Conway runs gift shop Prima Donna and was worried about the doctor’s being further away, saying: “To my mind, if they take the doctor’s surgery away, it’s not going to do me any good.”

The Co-op and bank had already gone from the Market Place town centre. “They seem to think it’s going to bring more footfall, but I’d suggest it’s going to take people further out,” she said of the overall plans.

She added the town was just starting to get the tourists back – Wesleyan Methodist Americans like to visit the area, because it is their founding father’s birthplace. Donna acknowledged a new doctor’s surgery was “the biggest carrot” to persuade people to support it, though she was not sure appointment booking would improve, saying: “Can’t the doctor’s surgery have the bank? It’d give them as much space as they have now and car parking in the town centre.”

She also recognised traffic as a concern. “Something would have to happen to calm down the roads.”

“It’s been popping its head for donkeys years,” she said, wondering aloud about any further development at the garden centre site in future, a thought Jim earlier also had. Prima Donna had been going for four years. “I opened on March 3 and had to go into lockdown on the 23rd.”

They had battled through that and other issues, but Donna feared the proposals would impact her greatly, and described her shop as “my little haven”. She admitted a bargain supermarket would be useful, but did not think that would occur because of the site’s size. “I think people are going to be sorely disappointed.” The operator for the potential food supermarket has yet to be announced.

The public have until June 7 to have their say on the Epworth medical centre, garden centre and supermarket proposal.

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