Pontins Site in Hemsby
Posted by Brandon Lewis, MP for Great Yarmouth, at 14:54, Tue 17 May 2011:
At a packed village meeting in Hemsby last night, residents aired their concerns about the disused Pontins site ending up as a housing estate. Although the site has, lain empty since Pontins pulled out a few years ago, it would be a disaster to see the area bulldozed and new houses put there. Hemsby has a long history as a tourist destination and the village relies on this as part of the local economy. The priority is to see this site remain a key focus for tourism within the village and the wider Great Yarmouth area.
These sentiments are echoed by Great Yarmouth tourism chief, Councillor Charles Reynolds, who spoke in favour of the area being preserved as a core tourism site and highlighting the importance of this industry to the local economy. I will be putting pressure on the local council to protect the site. We can’t stop the submission of a speculative planning application from a housing developer but that application can be turned down by councillors wishing to regenerate the area for future tourism activities. They need to play an upfront role in promoting all that this area has to offer and approaching tourist companies to relocate to Hemsby.
Comments
If you are subscribed to HearFromYourMP in this constituency,
log in to post a reply.
Otherwise, if you live in the UK,
sign up in order to
HearFromYourMP.
Posted by John L Cooper, 15:09, Tue 17 May 2011: (Is this post abusive?) #
It is a pity that Cabinet member Reynolds did not have the same interest in Gorleston Tourism when he gave our Pier away and our MP seems to think Gorleston Ratepayers are not worthy of support in getting their Pier repaired They are too pally with the new port owners to show any interest in us John L Cooper 01493 653721 saveourport@btinternet.com
Posted by Kim Hastings, 15:26, Tue 17 May 2011: (Is this post abusive?) #
Other than housing are there any other planned proposals for the Hemsby site or are we just talking about ideas again. Talk is cheap Westminster, lets see some action. You lot delayed action on the outer harbour 30 years ago when the town was buzzing and ended up with the biggest pale pachyderm that Norfolk has ever seen. Lets see what you can do for Hemsby. You are being watched very closely gentlemen.
Posted by colin page, 15:28, Tue 17 May 2011: (Is this post abusive?) #
its about time that the local politicians especially Charles Reynolds pulled their collective heads out of the sand and woke up to the fact that its the 21st century. the type of holiday offered by the now defunct Pontins is out of date and well past its sell by date, otherwise it would still be open.... or does the eminent Mr Reynolds still think that people crave a mystery tour on a quaint coach ride..oh i forgot that's what he does for a living! i suggest that you go and look at this deserted site and ask yourself if you would ever return to an area thats populated by boarded up falling down ex holiday camps or a new housing estate that is sorely. how is it that somebody whos main income is derived from tourism is chief of tourism, does it not smack of self protection?
Posted by Steve Taylor, 19:19, Tue 17 May 2011: (Is this post abusive?) #
Interesting debate.From my own experience the a major hotel on Gorleston front was originally denied change of use by the council as it was "within a prime tourist area", that might have been so 100 years ago when holidays to the coast by Britons was common practice, but times change and so did the patronage of this hotel.The owner could not afford to run it based upon changing times and would have to had it boarded up! Thankfully it is now a residential home.
Similarly the patterns have changed for now once forgotten caravan sites and other holiday parks all over the UK and our area. Whilst lamentable a few "Elvis weekends" etc is not a sustainable way to continue with this business model.
Time to wake up and sniff the coffee, and pay heed to changing trends and business models. If you are going to again spend my hard earnt, have a business viability study as to its continued use and act on that, not emotive political posturing
Posted by Brandon Lewis, 07:17, Wed 18 May 2011: (Is this post abusive?) #
• In Hemsby there is a large economic impact of losing more tourism. I understand that the council had indicated that it would look more sympathetically at a mixed use site of housing and some tourism, to avoid the issues noted in comments above. The developer had indicated which it did at a meeting I was at, that it would be looking to do this and yet the final proposal seems to be housing only without enough infrastructure in the area to support it.
Hopefully, we will eventually get a scheme that works for everyone. It is frustrating that this is going on under current planning laws and regulations that make this difficult to negotiate, under the new rules that will come into place later this year the local community will be able to be much more directly involved in working to find a scheme that is acceptable.