A group of Lincoln residents have raised concerns over plans to build a skate park on an area of Hobblers Hole in the West End.
The locals aired their concerns about the proposed park on July 13 at a consultation meeting at the Grandstand.
The group, backed by Councillor Karen Lee and Councillor Neil Murray, felt that while the idea and designs are great, the location is incorrect.
Many of the residents with concerns live close to the prosed site, off Long Leys Road.
They say the the City of Lincoln Council’s idea for a skate park needs supporting, and that the skateboarding community hosts some “talented and enthusiastic individuals”.
However, they feel the skateboarders are not only being “short-changed”, but the Hobblers Hole plan is “flawed” and will lead to the destruction of the green space.
Residents are concerned that the range of wildlife in the area will not be preserved.
The site is also on a hill, covered in natural springs, which would make building difficult.
Lack of lighting, parking, toilet facilities and no bus service after 5pm is also worrying the residents.
Residents local to Hobblers Hole, who oppose the plans to locate the skate park on the green space.
Local resident Emma Olivier-Townrow said: “I see a huge impact from the university in my local area, and whilst I totally acknowledge that the university is a really positive asset to the city, the impact on the West End is not always positive.
“Lincoln is becoming a matrix of creative thinking and big things are happening, it’s time for the key players in the city to get together and find a realistic solution, the skateboard plaza has been in the making for 12 years or so, which is a very long time in a young person’s life and totally unacceptable.”
Opposition to skate park proposal
City Councillor for Carholme Ward Neil Murray said: “This proposal is wrong for a number of reasons.
“Firstly, the replacement of a natural environment with concrete at the bottom of Hobblers Hole was never envisaged by the person who gifted the land.
“Secondly, the proposal is not sustainable according to the City of Lincoln Local Plan, which states that environmentally valuable sites like Hobblers Hole will only be developed if there is no other land available for such a use.
“Thirdly, in my view a Skate Plaza should be close to or in a much more populous area of the City in order for people wanting to use it to access it much more easily and safely than the proposed site.”
Councillor Murray added: “Hobblers Hole was gifted to the City of Lincoln on the premise that it would not be developed.
“Rather than being the eyesore it is claimed to be, the area is a beautiful area of undeveloped green open space inhabited by many species of wildlife.
“The land has an intrinsic environmental value and we are losing far too many of these kind of green spaces to development.”
Other sites residents recommended were The King George V playing field, the Backies in Moorland and Yarborough Sports Centre.
The skate park plans for Hobblers Hole. Photo: Gravity Parks
Detailed proposal in development
Antony Angus, Recreation Services Team Leader at the city council, said: “Residents’ opinions are, of course, extremely important to us.
“We have recently undertaken two resident consultations regarding the proposed skate park at Hobblers Hole.
“All comments from the meetings and other communications have been logged and will be summarised in any future reports to the Council Executive.
“In total, so far, we have received 12 objections to the project since we announced we were considering this location in March.
“Officers have had no involvement in the meeting organised for August 2. It would be helpful therefore if residents contact me with their objections to ensure that we accurately capture their views and are able to reflect them in reports regarding the scheme.”
“We have considered a number of sites across Lincoln and believe that Hobblers Hole is the most viable. This location has been warmly received by the user group who are obviously keen for the project to progress.
“Studies over the last 30 years clearly demonstrate that the sites ecology has been declining for many years. A recent survey has concluded that the site no longer meets criteria for a Local Wildlife Site, something it previously did. The project will aim to reverse this trend as well as provide a fantastic facility for people to enjoy.
“When we have further developed the proposal and can answer accurately the various questions that have been raised by consultees, we will undertake further consultation. This will allow residents to have an informed opinion about the proposal.
“It is equally important of course for supporters of the project to voice their opinions. We welcome all comments.”
The council now have a Q&A page on the website to help address concerns.
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City of Lincoln Council has approved a 1.9% tax hike despite a series of cuts for 2021-22 due to the financial uncertainty around the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 1.9% rise will take city council’s share of council tax for a Band D property in Lincoln to £285.39 – an increase of £5.31.
The executive committee agreed on increasing allotment charges, council house and garage rents.
Council bosses predict a budget gap of £1.75 million and said it must close the hole for financial stability.
Allotment charges will also see most tenants pay between £58.70-£78.30 per year from 2022, an increase of between 38p and 51 pence per week.
Council housing rent will increase by an average of 1.5%, while council garage rents will increase by 3%.
Attendees at City of Lincoln Council’s executive on Monday.
The authority said it faces a number of ongoing challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic and requires a substantial reduction in all of its budgets.
Cllr Ric Metcalfe, Leader of City of Lincoln Council said: “It’sareasonablymodestincreaseformostpeople,andwewill support lowincomegroups stillwiththeconcessions.”
The council has saved more than £9 million annually over the past decade, however will have to increase savings by £850,000 next year, rising to £1.75 million by 2023/24.
Due to the pandemic’s impact on government funded reliefs, empty properties and business closures, the authority estimates it will only retain £5.1 million of the £42 million of business rates generated in the city.
The draft budget will go to consultation and return before the council later this year for a final decision.
There have been 372 new coronavirus cases and nine COVID-related deaths in Greater Lincolnshire on Monday.
The government’s COVID-19 dashboard recorded 325 new cases in Lincolnshire, 30 in North Lincolnshire and 17 in North East Lincolnshire.
Some nine deaths were registered in Lincolnshire and none in North and North East Lincolnshire. These figures include deaths both in and out of hospitals, as well as residents in hospitals outside the county.
NHS England reported nine new local hospital deaths at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust and one at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust on Monday. Hospital deaths have now surpassed 1,000 since the pandemic started in Greater Lincolnshire.
National cases increased by 37,535 to 3,433,494, while deaths rose by 599 to 89,860.
Leader of South Holland District Council, Cllr Lord Gary Porter, put the spike down to outbreaks in two care facilities, one being a children’s care home.
A group of urban explorers who travelled from three different counties to look around derelict buildings were caught and fined in Grantham for breaching lockdown rules. Two groups of revellers in the woods near Woodhall Spa have also been fined.
In national news, Public Health England have confirmed 4,062,501 people have received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Those in England aged 70 and over, as well as the clinically extremely vulnerable, will begin receiving offers of a coronavirus vaccine this week.
Ten hospital trusts across England consistently reported having no spare adult critical care beds in the most recent figures available.
It comes as hospital waiting times, coronavirus admissions and patients requiring intensive care are rising.
All UK travel corridors, which allow arrivals from some countries to avoid having to quarantine, have now closed until at least February 15.
Travellers arriving in the UK, whether by boat, train or plane, also have to show proof of a negative coronavirus test to be allowed entry.
Supermarkets face increased inspections from local councils to ensure they are COVID-secure amid a push from the government to clamp down further on coronavirus transmission.
Local governments have been asked by ministers to target the largest supermarkets for inspection to ensure companies are enforcing mask wearing, social distancing and limits on shopper numbers.
Here’s Greater Lincolnshire’s infection rate up to January 17 according to the government dashboard:
Greater Lincolnshire’s infection rates from Jan 11 to Jan 17. | Data: Gov UK / Table: James Mayer for The Lincolnite
Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire on Monday, January 18
Greater Lincolnshire includes Lincolnshire and the unitary authorities of North and North East (Northern) Lincolnshire.
44,374 cases (up 372)
30,784 in Lincolnshire (up 325)
6,927 in North Lincolnshire (up 30)
6,663 in North East Lincolnshire (up 17)
1,686 deaths (up nine)
1,196 from Lincolnshire (up nine)
268 from North Lincolnshire (no change)
222 from North East Lincolnshire (no change)
of which 1,006 hospital deaths (up 10)
612 at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (up nine)
30 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)
1 at Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust (no change)
363 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (up one)
3,433,494 UK cases, 89,860 deaths
DATA SOURCE — FIGURES CORRECT AT THE TIME OF the latest update. postcode data includes deaths not in healthcare facilities or in hospitals outside authority boundaries.
Eight people were fined for two separate COVID-19 rule breaches over the weekend, after being found partying and camping near Woodhall Spa.
Officers were called to two different incidents at Ostler’s Plantation, a woodland area near Woodhall Spa on Saturday, January 16 and on Sunday, January 17.
Five people were issued with £200 fines after a report of partying at around 11.08pm on Saturday.
The next morning, police were again called to the area at 8.21am after people were seen camping at the location.
Three people were fined as a result of this, again valued at £200 due to being first time offenders.
If these fines are paid within 14 days of the offence, the cost will be cut in half to £100.
On the same weekend, but this time in a different location, six urban explorers were fined after travelling from three different counties to try and gain access to an abandoned hospital in Grantham.
The behaviour of COVID-19 rule breakers has been described as “dangerous” by Lincolnshire Police’s assistant chief constable Kerrin Wilson, who referred to them as “Covidiots”.
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