Plans Approved For Major Skegness Regeneration Programme
Plans have been approved for a major regeneration project for Skegness. Insider Media reports that the Skegness Gateway scheme will be developed on a 136 hectare site to the west of the town and provide up to 1,000 new homes as well as almost 50 acres of retail, business and industrial space.
East Lindsey District Council have approved the plans, which also include supported housing, a community centre, a crematorium, and open green spaces. The development is expected to create hundreds of new jobs for the region, as well as bring new skills and employment opportunities and over £300m in economic benefits.
However, according to BBC News, objections have been raised by the Environment Agency (EA) because of the potential flooding risk and impact on services.
An EA spokesperson said: “We take our commitment to work with partners in managing flood risk issues seriously, but it is ultimately a local authority decision to make a LDO. As a statutory consultee we have made our position clear throughout the consultation process.”
Until the mid 19th century, Skegness was a small fishing town surrounded by lush farmland. When the railway arrived in 1873, it grew in popularity as a seaside town, owing to its long sandy beach.
At this point, much of the town was owned by the Earl of Scarborough, and during the 1870, he commissioned architects to redesign the town as a fashionable Victorian holiday resort. Gardens, a long pier and spacious promenade were constructed.
This drew thousands more tourists and also attracted new residents from nearby towns of Nottingham, Leicester, Derby, and Lincoln. The town continued to grow and thrive as a seaside resort, although it suffered from heavy bombing during both world wars.
New features were added during the rebuilding programme, including more housing and roads, more hotels, an industrial estate, and more visitor attractions. Butlin’s Skegness Holiday centre was upgraded, and vast caravan sites developed along the coast.
Skegness still remains a popular tourist destination, and the town’s economy is heavily reliant on visitors. This means that the labour market is largely made up of low-paid and low-skilled seasonal jobs. The town has significantly lower home ownership levels than average, and there is an urgent need to build more affordable housing.
There are also much higher than average rates of sickness, disability, and unemployment in the town, and a higher than average proportion of residents over the age of 65. However, the need for more housing needs to be weighed against the risk of flooding. The developers argue that they have the engineering capacity to offset any potential flooding of the site.
The majority of the land is currently owned by the Croftmarsh family business. Sue Bowser of Croftmarsh said: “This is a milestone moment for the people of Skegness and an important step in revitalising our town and community.”
“It is a pathway for people to carve a real future in the town, with employment, skills and learning opportunities all situated within one site, connected by an ambition to restore Skegness at the heart of East Midlands economic investment.”
She added: “Having farmed the land at Croftmarsh for 30 years, it was always hoped that it could eventually be used for development. Now, it’s a chance for prospective consultants, developers and investors to look more closely at our plans and be a part of transforming Skegness’ future.”
“It will become a new home for thousands of families, a place of ambition and prosperity, with a lasting legacy for generations to come.”
Adrian Clarke, group vice principal for corporate services at TEC Partnership, said: “The new campus will provide fantastic opportunities for the local community to undertake courses in further and higher education and develop the skills the area needs for its future.”
Councillor Steve Kirk, East Lindsey District Council portfolio holder for coastal economy, added: “By supporting these plans, we are helping to create new jobs, new education and skills development options, new homes and new opportunities for businesses and the local economy.”
“Alongside our ongoing Towns Fund and Levelling Up projects, the positive impact of these developments will be felt for generations to come, and I look forward to continuing to see them become a reality in the months and years ahead.”
It remains to be seen if the EA will appeal against the decision to approve the plans.
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