Skegness Town Hall into hotel plan one of first to win support following Neighbourhood Plan vote

Taj Bola outside the former Skegness Town Hall which he plans to convert into a hotel.

The public have voted ‘yes’ to the Neighbourhood Plan that ultimately will give Skegness council more control of decisions regarding planning.

A referendum was held by East Lindsey District Council last month when the public were asked to vote on a 74-page Skegness Neighbourhood Plan.

The number of votes cast in favour were 1048 and against 224.

The Plan will enable Skegness to pursue a new approach to the development of the town led by local local representatives.

The document explains: “It is important for the town to be able to adapt and grow to become more resilient by protecting what is currently good but also permitting new development that will allow Skegness to grow in a way that gives hope and security to our new generations.”

Town clerk Steve Larner said he was pleased with the result.

He said: "Neighbourhood plan referendums are never going to attract big turnouts. Key is that the result was overwhelmingly in favour.”

A number of plans have already been commented on by the Town Clerk under delegated authority, which in principle the Town Council would be in

favour of as development for leisure purposes, established in the approved Neighbourhood Plan.

Support for plans for the change of use and conversion of former Town Hall in North Paarade which is a listed building into a hotel is subject to a full traffic and travel plan

being provided together with a full drainage strategy to address local concerns.

Other plans commented on by the Town Clerk under delegated authority include:

Mr T Bola: Listed Building Consent - Conversion of and internal alterations to former town hall into a hotel. Again subject to to a full traffic and travel plan

being provided together with a full drainage strategy to address local concerns.

Mr M Yeadon: Planning Permission - Excavation of a new penguin pool at Skegness Natureland with access into existing building and erection of a plant storage area, existing pool to be demolished. Comments made by Town Clerk under delegated authority – Do not wish to object.

The plans go before councillors at an Extraordinary Meeting on Wednesday, June 7.