The new Pier Gardens project is being welcomed by organisations across the borough as they help with regeneration.
Voluntary Action North East Lincolnshire (VANEL) have been lending their green fingers to the work going in at Pier Gardens.
Members of the group came to the site to pick a number of plants and flowers to be replanted in respective gardens. Those picked by VANEL are being added to a 24m long border at Immingham family hub as well as a nearby reception area to brighten up the area.
The Pier Gardens project comprises one element of the wider Cleethorpes regeneration which will see this, Sea Road and the Market Place reimagined to benefit residents and visitors alike.
During their visit, the group collected a range of shrubs and plants including lavender and bamboo. Sam Smith, Green Mentor at VANEL, was thrilled to be a part of the project and is glad to be giving the plants a new lease of life.
She said: “Last time, the plants were a great addition to the family hub. We planted them with local children who learnt loads during the process. They were so excited to see them grow and were constantly checking on them.”
She added: “This initiative is great. We’re all about recycling and reusing as much as possible and it’s great to see some of the plants from Pier Gardens have a new legacy somewhere else.
“I think the whole regeneration is just a great opportunity for the area. The plans will definitely encourage more people to come to the local coastline; it’s such a beautiful part of the world and I think it’ll bring people from afar as well.”
Within the project, more plants and trees will be added to the various sections of the regenerated Pier Gardens and the biodiversity improved with existing trees.
The Council are fortunate to have large, healthy mature specimens to incorporate within this design to offer scale, setting and excitement to larger proposed elements such as the play structures.
The strategy for the site is to retain as many of these key larger plants as possible. Where trees have been removed this is to open views in key areas, facilitate elements of the design or to benefit the wider health of other trees across the site.
In regard to plants within Pier Gardens, schemes have been influenced by local habitat types, particularly the natural character of South Beach which hosts a variety of plant species adapted to the coastal environment.
This includes hardy grasses, wildflowers, and shrubs that support numerous bird species and insects. Native grasses and low-maintenance perennials will feature through the gardens creating sand dune planting to link in with the context of the site and provide a playful, dynamic that moves and changes with the seasons.
Habitats for local wildlife such as insect hotels and bird boxes will be nestled within the proposed planting schemes, which include areas of wildflowers and plants that support pollinators.
Interpretative and educational signage informing visitors of the local environment, the importance of the SSSI, and its rich eco-system that supports numerous species of birds, insects and marine life, will feature throughout the gardens. In turn, visitors will be given the chance to further explore the enriched biodiversity and species of plants and trees on offer.
With the project underway, Councillor Philip Jackson, Leader and Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Skills, said: “This is a great opportunity that the Council are thrilled to have been able to offer.
“This regeneration scheme marks huge positive change for Cleethorpes and we wanted to preserve as much of the old site as possible.
“This scheme means there will be a piece of the former Pier Gardens all over the borough, which is a lovely thought. However, we are also eager to see the updated environmental provision on the site. With a wider range of trees and plants, it will reimagine the area completely whilst in keeping with our aim of furthering North East Lincolnshire as a sustainable, eco-friendly borough.”
Around £18.4 million of Levelling Up grant monies was awarded to North East Lincolnshire Council in January 2023 to help transform Pier Gardens, Market Place and Sea Road.
For more information on the Pier Gardens projects, visit Pier Gardens – NELC | NELC
Main image caption: VANEL volunteers. From left Danny Roberts, Sam Smith, Darren Kirk
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