The Albany Gazette - Former Pleasure Island Site Proposed as Cleethorpes Holiday Resort

A hauntingly deserted theme park is poised for a comeback as a new ' Center Parcs -by-the-sea', a full 10 years since it shut down. Pleasure Island, a family-oriented theme park which first welcomed visitors in 1993, was formerly the crown jewel of seaside excursions to Cleethorpes. Covering 54 acres, it delivered an array of family entertainment through live performances and 50 attractions, including half a dozen high-adrenaline thrill rides for those seeking excitement, attracting tens of thousands annually.

Following 23 years of operation, the beloved attraction shuttered in 2016 amid dwindling attendance figures. Two years on, the ride equipment was auctioned off, leaving the location eerily vacant today, with scant evidence of the once-bustling seaside destination in North East Lincolnshire. However, renewed optimism emerges for the neglected site, with ambitious proposals to redevelop Pleasure Island into a £70million development, featuring 272 holiday lodges, hotels, dining establishments and a Lidl supermarket - an initiative that's been likened to a 'Center Parcs by-the-sea'.

The development blueprint encompasses a 60-acre location, with ambitions to construct two hotels - one containing 148 rooms and another with 58 rooms, both rising to five storeys - alongside a drive-through coffee outlet. Furthermore, the planning submission includes 272 lodges, providing two to four bedrooms as a coastal holiday retreat, reports the Express . All existing structures at the former theme park location are set to be demolished and replaced with a substantial Lidl supermarket and garden centre.

Additionally, proposals include retail units and a cycle hire facility. In line with the developer's vision for a "Center Parcs by the sea", the site's existing lake is earmarked for recreational use, complemented by a lakeside hub featuring changing facilities, toilets and lockers. The application has been submitted to council officers for consideration and, should it receive approval, the development could generate approximately 400 permanent positions, with a further 400 jobs during construction.

Seaside Getaways, Church Lane Humberston Ltd, Lidl GB Ltd and YPG Fab2 Ltd submitted their application in January 2023 to clear the site and establish the new holiday resort, Lidl superstore and hotels. Nevertheless, environmental assessments, flood risk evaluations and ecological impact studies needed completion before councillors could properly examine the proposal. There were expectations that councillors would back the scheme at North East Lincolnshire Council's planning committee on Wednesday, 8 July.

Yet during proceedings, it emerged that correspondence had been received opposing the plans. Ms Lovejoy recommended during the session that "the application be deferred in order to give officers, including legal officers, sufficient time to consider the letters and the points made within". The committee subsequently approved the deferral of the application.

The timeline for progressing the plans remains uncertain. However, the prospect of transforming the disused theme park into another cherished attraction in the coastal resort of Cleethorpes is generating considerable excitement.

(T.Brown--TAG)