A major £57 million plan to redevelop an abandoned theme park site has been unveiled. The former Pleasure Island site in Cleethorpes is set to be transformed with a new hotel, conference centre, 250-holiday lodges, restaurants, and a supermarket included in the plans.
The new site is expected to bring in millions of pounds each year, creating over 360 jobs in the process. The Pleasure Island theme park closed in 2016, after 23 years of business, and has remained empty since. The once-popular attraction closed due to dwindling numbers of guests twinned with rising costs.
Following the closure of the site, the park was stripped down, with rides being sold to destinations around the world, including Indonesia, Chile, and Iraq. In recent weeks, it had been reported that the site could be sold.
Now, however, exciting proposals have come forward from Lidl and YPG, aiming to transform the Cleethorpes area. The plans submitted show a hotel with 146 rooms, and high-quality holiday lodges, providing plenty of accommodation for potential guests.
Planning and development consultancy, Lichfields, have been appointed to take the scheme forwards, and a consultation is now open with a view of submitting formal plans in the near future. James Cox, associate director at Lichfields, said the proposals followed the site being identified as a designated “resort area” by the authority in its adopted local plan. He said, “The proposals provide a positive response to the council’s aspirations to deliver all-weather facilities in this resort area of Cleethorpes.”
“In addition to enhancing the range of existing retail and leisure provisions accessible to local residents, it would also attract new visitor expenditure to Cleethorpes and generate new job opportunities,” James continued.
The aim of the project is to increase all-weather tourism in the area, whilst bringing in new business visitors. Developers of the project estimate that the new facilities will bring in around £13.2 million each year from the spend of visitors.
