RESIDENTS have given plans to turn the vacant Great Grimsby Conservative Association building on Bargate into a Tesco Express a resounding "NO!".
At a public meeting last night they crammed into a room at the Grimsby Bridge Club, in College Street, to vehemently oppose the contentious development.
As reported, this follows confirmation that North East Lincolnshire Council's Planning Committee will make a decision over whether to grant a Certificate for Proposed Lawful Use, enabling the building to be turned into a shop without formal planning permission. This decision is set for a Planning Committee meeting on Wednesday, September 24.
Residents in their hundreds have previously signed a petition objecting to the development with many concerned about traffic, noise and general impact on the street.
Some offered questions to the panel that consisted of Great Grimsby MP Austin Mitchell and ward councillors Andrew De Freitas, Christina McGilligan-Fell and Matthew Barrow.
The meeting was articulately chaired by Bargate resident Chris Swale, who sat alongside his partner Clover Morey. Both have been actively campaigning against the development and will be working on the document, or speech, that will go before the Planning Committee.
The proposed speaker on that day, who will be making representations on behalf of residents, is founder of the Grimsby, Cleethorpes and District Civic Society, Paul Genney.
Mr Genney said: "We've lost an awful lot in this community; Bargate is a fantastic street and this development would be the first step in its degradation, so we must fight it.
"Not for ourselves but for the town and what comes after us."
He encouraged campaigners to dig deep and consider setting up a fighting fund should the issue need to go before a judicial review.
Mr Swale said: "I'm really pleased with the turnout this evening, we've got great broad support and I think we'll win on the 24th.
"There is no other example across the country of a private members' club being turned into a shop premises – so why in Grimsby?
"Nobody wants it to remain a derelict building, but it should be used for a cause that the community support."
A local resident said: "I just wonder if Tesco are going to serve the Bargate community the way they have done the Immingham community, with how many times they've been opening it and then not opening it."
Tesco has previously said: "We're really keen to ensure our proposals fit in with the character of the area and any design would look to reflect these sensitivities."
Council planning officers will now investigate the proposals and make their recommendations at the next Planning Committee meeting.
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