CHAPEL ST LEONARDS PARISH COUNCIL
***** PRESS RELEASE *****
COUNCIL PUTS THE RECORD STRAIGHT
Concerned at misinformation circulating about the proposed development of a Coastal
Observatory at Chapel Point, Chapel St Leonards Parish Council approved a ‘Statement of
Facts’ regarding the proposed development of a coastal observatory at Chapel Point in
conjunction with Lincolnshire County Council at its meeting on 13 May.
“There are a lot of unfounded and incorrect rumours circulating the village,” advised the reelected Chairman of the Council, Councillor Patrick Naughton. “These are causing a great
deal of anxiety amongst residents, particularly those in the vicinity of Chapel Point. The
Council felt that it is important that these rumours are squashed here and now and that the
true facts about the proposed development are widely circulated.”
Amongst the incorrect rumours are claims that there will no longer be public toilets
available at Chapel Point, and that the existing café building will be converted into an
amusement arcade. Both rumours have been strenuously denied by the Council.
“We do see the development as being entirely beneficial to Chapel St Leonards,” continued
Councillor Naughton. “If we didn’t, we would never have considered it. Whilst the detailed
final plans have yet to be presented, the parish council retains overall control over what will
be done and will ensure that the people of Chapel St Leonards will not be disadvantaged.”
The Statement of Facts is reproduced below:
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Lincolnshire County Council has approached the Parish Council to use the land on the
headland at Chapel Point to develop a Coastal Observatory.
The development will be undertaken at no cost to the Parish Council. The building
will be constructed and managed entirely by the County Council.
The development will include a Coastal Observatory overlooking the sea and
overlooking the Coastal Country Park to enable visitors to observe the natural land
and sea scape and observe wildlife. The development will also include a 70 seat café,
and art gallery/educational space, and toilets that will be open to the public and
accessible from the outside.
The County Council will rent the land from the Parish Council at an agreed rate of
£13,500 per annum, index linked
The existing café at Chapel Point will close. Ownership and control of the building
will remain with the Parish Council. The current tenant has been offered the
opportunity to transfer his tenancy to the proposed new café in the Coastal
Observatory. This means that the Parish Council will lose the income it receives from
renting out the building (currently £10,750 per annum), but this is more than matched
by the income from the land on which the Observatory will be built.
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The Parish Council will look to re-let this building (existing café) for another,
appropriate purpose and thus regain some of the lost income. However, THERE HAS
BEEN NO DISCUSSION WITHIN THE COUNCIL OF LETTING THE
BUILDING AS AN AMUSEMENT ARCADE. The Council will retain ownership
of and continue to control the purpose of the building.
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The car park next to the existing café will return to the Parish Council’s control. The
Council will seek to generate income from this, either by leasing it as a car park with
the building, or by operating it as a pay-and-display car park (or have it operated as
such on the Council’s behalf).
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The existing public toilets in the car park will be demolished so that the County
Council can access the land to the north of this for use as a car park themselves.
However, they will only be permitted to do so if the toilets in the new development
are made accessible to the general public. The County Council will pay a lease fee to
the Parish Council for this land (the lease fee has yet to be agreed)
THE BENEFITS
As the Parish Council sees things, this proposed development holds a number of benefits to
our community:
1.
More visitors will be attracted to Chapel St Leonards. This means more money for
local businesses, and thus more employment opportunities for our young people.
2.
The Parish Council stands to gain a significant income from leasing the land to the
County Council for the Observatory, leasing the land to the north of the toilets to the
County Council as a car park, operating or leasing the existing car park, and in reletting the existing café building for an appropriate purpose that itself could benefit
the community.
3
The Parish Council will save the cost of operating the public toilets at Chapel Point.
(During the last year, the cost of operating these was in the region of £3,500)
4.
All of which means that the Parish Council’s financial situation will remain healthy,
meaning that further increases in the precept levied to residents may be avoided, or
that the precept may even be reduced, or that the services for which the Parish
Council is responsible may be improved.
5.
Chapel Point will get an amenity that is entirely in keeping with the nature of the
area.
All of these matters have been discussed openly by the Parish Council at its monthly
meetings and all Members of the Parish Council are aware of the facts.
*****ENDS*****
Contacts:
Councillor Patrick Naughton
Chairman
01754 872671