Plans for 40 retirement homes in Cleethorpes warmly welcomed

OLDER residents have welcomed plans to demolish a care home in Cleethorpes and build 40 retirement apartments in its place.

A consultation took place at Cleethorpes Cricket Club yesterday to allow residents to comment on plans for the former Huntleigh Lodge site.

McCarthy & Stone hopes to build 24 one-bedroom and 16 two-bedroom retirement apartments on the site, which sits at the junction of Taylor's Avenue and Hardy's Road.

There would also be communal facilities, including a homeowner's lounge and landscaped gardens.

Ken and Sheila Webster, 79, from Laceby, were among the prospective residents viewing the plans.

Ken, 83, said: "We are in the process of considering our options. We live in a bungalow at the moment and we could stay there forever, but the garden is too big.

"There's nothing else like this in the area so I think it's a very positive thing and something a lot of people will be interested in."

Sheila Arini, 68, from Cleethorpes, said the apartments could be in the perfect location for her.

She added: "We live very close to the site and are looking to downsize sooner than expected because my eyesight is going.

"I was born in the area, married in the area and have lived there all my life, so if we can get an apartment of the size we are looking for, then this development would be ideal.

"I think there is a real need for something like this in Cleethorpes."

Another resident, who did not wish to be named, added: "We've just started to look at what is out there in terms of places to live when we sell our own home.

"We came today because we're interested in seeing what the design is like and whether it would suit us.

"It's a good thing that these apartments are being built as there aren't many in the resort and the ones on the seafront are very expensive."

George Martin, deputy design director for The Planning Bureau, which works with McCarthy & Stone, said a full planning application is set to be submitted to North East Lincolnshire Council within the next four weeks.

He added: "Public consultation is a very important part of the design process and we have had one-to-one consultations with households that will be directly affected, as well as inviting people in the wider area to come today.

"We did look at converting the existing building but it wasn't suitable for this type of development. The new building will be of a similar size and we would retain the existing trees and create a communal garden as well as increasing the number of parking spaces."

Anyone who was unable to attend the consultation but would like to comment can freephone 0800 2987040 or visit www.mccarthyandstone-consultation.co.uk/cleethorpes

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