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The demolition of Abbey Walk Car Park is expected to last 12 weeks
Calls have been made to include artwork from a soon-to-be demolished car park in Grimsby‘s future transport hub. The demolition of Abbey Walk Car Park started on January 5, and is expected to take 12 weeks to complete.
When its demolition was announced, there were calls to preserve the 40 modernist concrete panels designed by artist Harold Gosney that feature on it. The opposition Labour group on North East Lincolnshire Council has called for efforts to include some of the artwork in Grimsby’s future transport hub.
The council linked up with the University of Lincoln last year to get the artworks 3D scanned to create digital models of them. A council spokesperson has said as the demolition of the car park is carried out, contractors will be able to investigate whether some of the artwork can be saved.
The decision to demolish Abbey Walk Car Park followed its closure since May 2024 on public safety grounds. Water was found to have entered key supports.
A single-storey car park is planned to replace it. GBM UK has been awarded a contract worth almost £750,000 to carry out the multi-storey car park’s demolition.
North East Lincolnshire Labour Group says it wants the artistic and historical significance of the car park “to be properly recognised as plans move forward for redevelopment, and for the council not to plough ahead regardless without properly considering heritage and community impact”. The group points to Art UK listing it as a 1960s building of artistic merit and assert the panels “form part of the area’s cultural fabric”.
“Labour councillors believe there is a clear and positive opportunity to recycle and reuse one of each of the original sculptures within the proposed new transport hub.” Units in Osborne Street, Grimsby, were demolished last year to make way for the future transport hub. The hub is currently at the design stage.
The Labour group’s statement also suggests the future single-storey car park could incorporate the works into its design. It adds: “Too often, opportunities to protect and celebrate local heritage have been missed.
“Residents are increasingly frustrated at being surrounded by building sites and unfinished projects, with little sense of continuity or place. People want to see things that are familiar and important to them.”
A council spokesperson restated Mr Gosney informed the council at a meeting in October 2024 that the works were cast in situ, with metal bars running through them. The bars were integral to the car park structure, “which is likely to make removal of the artwork incredibly difficult”.
“Other options were discussed at the time around how the artwork could be preserved in different ways.” The spokesperson emphasised the 40 artworks consist of four designs in total, which are rotated.
There are also several versions of these on the ground floor. “The car park will be demolished from the top downwards, so once started, the contractors will be able to investigate whether or not some of the original artwork can be saved.”
Last year, the council linked up with the University of Lincoln to ensure the works were 3D scanned, and also got high quality photos of the panels. “These are publicly available for anyone to download and reproduce either as an image, or as a 3D model,” the spokesperson said.
Mr Gosney has previously stated in a BBC interview the inspiration behind the panels. He said they were inspired by drawings in the handbook of the car he had at the time, an Austin Cambridge estate car.
This included drawings of the likes of the vehicle’s suspension and carburettor. He also warmly welcomed the 3D scanning of the panels, stating: “This means they can last forever.”
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