Court suddenly closes after work at nearby building raises safety concerns
DUST FROM NEARBY FORMER CLUB AFFECTS CAR PARK
GRIMSBY Crown Court was forced to close yesterday due to the impact of nearby renovation work on a neighbouring building.
Work is being carried out on the former Musika nightclub building which was most recently S27 Fitness gym.
Workers are stripping the building inside, with waste and materials being dumped into a skip.
Dust from the work was affecting the neighbouring court car park on East Street, forcing cases to be adjourned or some moved to another court.
Staff from the court noticed dust blowing over the wall and settling on cars in the court compound.
A notice was then posted which stated the building was closed temporarily and some cases were moved to Grimsby Magistrates’ Court.
It states: “Due to building work at a nearby building, as a precautionary measure and to ensure the safety of all Grimsby Combined Court users, we have taken the decision to temporarily close the court building today (Friday, October 8, 2021.) “We plan to reopen the building on Monday, October 11 and will keep you informed of developments.”
The owner of the building under renovation said there was no asbestos being removed. Workmen were seen tipping rubble out of an upstairs window, using a slide to drop materials into a skip. Air conditioning vents and metal window frames were also removed from the three-storey property.
Edison Motina, who owns Grimsby Truck Stop off the A180, said the Pasture Street premises has planning permission for nine flats. He submitted another planning application in the summer seeking permission to build 13 town centre apartments.
He told Grimsby Live: “There is no building work going on at present. My friends are helping me to clear out the building.
“We stopped work as soon as it was brought to my attention that dust was blowing next door. There was a skip and the materials were being dropped into it.
“I did not realise dust was going all the way over. It was just old plaster and bits of wood and old furniture. Had I known it was causing a problem, I would have stopped.” Mr Motina said he would be happy to pay for all the cars parked in the court car park to be cleaned at a car wash.
The owner said: “There is no asbestos in the building.”
North East Lincolnshire Council inspectors visited the site on Thursday. No prohibition notice was served.
The owner said he was unsure whether he would continue with the clearance work until had had received approval from council officials.
He told: “I don’t want to be on the bad side of any of our neighbours.” The property developer said this was his first development and he was keen to provide accommodation for people in Grimsby town centre. A number of family matters were adjourned to Grimsby Magistrates’ Court while other cases were heard at Hull Crown Court. Others are understood to have been adjourned to a later date. A spokesperson from the Ministry of Justice said: “Grimsby Combined Court is closed as a precautionary measure on Friday, October 8 due to building work on a nearby property. The court is due to reopen fully on Monday.”