April 16, 2018 9.05 am This story is over 71 months old

Council to buy site used by showpeople in Mablethorpe

The land is owned by Anglian Water.
Seaholme Road in Mablethorpe. Map: Google

East Lindsey District Council is set to buy a site used by travelling showpeople in Mablethorpe.

Members of the council’s executive will agree the purchase of land on Seaholme Road from Anglian Water at a meeting in Manby on Wednesday, April 18.

This section of the meeting will be held behind closed doors with members of the press and public excluded due to confidential information.

However, council papers indicate that the value of the transaction will be £85,000 and the deal will need to be completed by the end of August this year.

The land was transferred to Anglian Water in the 1970s.

East Lindsey has operated a seasonal site for showpeople on Seaholme Road for a long period of time.

The eight plots accommodates the showpeople who work on the coastal amusements in the summer months.

Most come for the summer and then leave, but one family of showpeople currently live on the site permanently.

The council has an obligation to provide sites for gypsies, travellers and showpeople through its local plan.

By purchasing the site, the council hopes to secure it for the future use of showpeople living and working in the district.

A report to executive councillors has identified risks if the site is sold to people outside of the council’s control.

Report author Anne Shorland, Planning Policy and Research Service Manager at East Lindsey District Council, said: “If the site is sold to showpeople the risk is that it could be bought for use by one family. They could evict everyone else off the site.

“There would be no breach of planning control if this occurred, but the council would then have to find a site to accommodate the seven lost plots and it would have to be in the area of Mablethorpe because the present occupants all work in one of the amusements in the town in the summer.

“The issue would be exacerbated if one of those evicted was the family who reside on the site permanently.

“The council would then have to find a plot which could house the family on a permanent basis – this would actually be impossible in Mablethorpe because of flood risk.”