By Five Grimsby sites for Traveller accommodation deemed “unsatisfactory”
Five Grimsby sites for Traveller accommodation have been deemed unsatisfactory by a consultant’s report presented to North East Lincolnshire Council, it was revealed at a meeting last night.
In November 2019, North East Lincolnshire Council was granted permission to carry out technical consultations on five sites in the area that could be used for a designated stopping place for Traveller accommodation.
The five sites were the land of the former Nunsthorpe Youth Centre, land at Winchester Avenue and Torksey Drive in Nunsthorpe, land under the Cleethorpe Road Flyover, Wellington Street Car Park and Garibaldi Street Car Park.
Wendy Fisher, Head of Estates and Business Development, said: “It’s fair to say that the outcome of the technical consultation concluded that none of the five sites were particularly suitable without significant mitigation. Some of the key issues that were included in that feedback were flood risk, concerns from the police, and lack of vehicle access.
Fisher added: “The actual summary outcome of the Traveller accommodation assessment is that there is no additional permanent need required for North East Lincolnshire as a borough.”
Instead, the report suggests that North East Lincolnshire Council explore an approach which focuses on negotiated stopping agreements and a “more tolerated approach”.
According to Fisher, this tolerated approach would include welfare checks on travellers carried out by ENGIE, determining whether “there is a need to tolerate it, whether there is a need to move them on, or if it really couldn’t be tolerated, such as on a school field.”
Councillor Gemma Sheridan said: “I think we were told quite adamantly that it would be one of these five sites, against concerns that were being raised by members of this panel. I can’t help but feel frustrated about that. The outcome is not a surprise for me.”
The results of the technical consultation will be taken to Cabinet in June with recommendations to not move forward with the five Grimsby sites for traveller accommodation, but instead with suggestions about a different approach around Travellers’ designated stopping agreements.
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