North East Lincolnshire Council anticipates spending over £6 million to tackle safety issues at Grimsby’s Freshney Place Shopping Centre, by replacing reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) located in non-public segments of the premises. This initiative forms part of a larger £50 million area redevelopment strategy. The Raac material, employed in construction from the 1950s up to the 1990s, is recognised as having a finite lifespan, provoking closures of various establishments across the nation. The Council took ownership of the shopping centre in August 2022, with ambitions to commence the concrete replacement early in the upcoming year. The project is projected to be finalised by the end of 2027. To cover these repair expenses, the council proposes to borrow funds, with plans to recoup the costs via future service charges.
This article is based on original reporting accessible at www.bbc.com.
