Supporting Grimsby’s town centre regeneration — from heritage discovery to a 2040 vision Deetu Healthy Places 08.04.2026 Grimsby’s town centre is entering into a new chapter of regeneration. With investment secured and schemes progressing across leisure, housing, heritage-led restoration and enabling infrastructure, the focus is increasingly on delivering a town centre that is both fit for the future and true to place. Across this programme, BWB has been supporting North East Lincolnshire Council on two fronts that underpin successful regeneration: safeguarding the historic story of the place as change happens and helping local people clearly understand and influence the direction of travel. Enabling progress while protecting heritage at Freshney Place A central part of the town centre regeneration is the £50 million redevelopment of Freshney Place, which will transform into a multi-use destination combining retail, leisure, healthcare and community space. For major redevelopment to deliver long-term value, it needs confidence in what lies beneath it. BWB’s Heritage specialists have been leading and coordinating the archaeological works required to support the scheme, ensuring the historic fabric of the area is properly understood and recorded as the redevelopment progresses. The outcome is a project that can progress responsibly while also uncovering new insight into Grimsby’s past. Site investigations have revealed medieval finds that have attracted wider interest, including coverage by the BBC, helping connect regeneration with the town’s deeper story. Fine-tuning a long-term vision Alongside delivery on the ground, the Council is also refreshing its longer-term direction by setting out a renewed Town Centre Masterplan looking to 2040, supported by a people-focused Movement Strategy. To support that ambition, BWB’s Engagement specialists have helped create clear, accessible content that enables residents, businesses and visitors to appreciate the success to date, whilst uncovering ideas and benefits of further change. Our intuitive digital platform let’s people explore proposals at their own pace, understand the context, and interact with ideas, all whilst capturing high-quality insight so the community’s voice can meaningfully shape priorities. Just as importantly, it provides robust evidence to support informed decision-making and future funding pathways. Explore the consultation platform here: Grimsby Town Centre Masterplan “Regeneration works best when it protects what matters and makes it easy for people to understand what’s changing and why. In Grimsby, we’re proud to be supporting a programme that’s both heritage-led and community-shaped — helping decisions move forward with confidence, grounded in evidence and local insight.” Joshua Dickerson, Director – Urban Regeneration Market Lead, BWB Consulting A joined-up approach to place — with more to come The story of Grimsby’s regeneration is still underway with progress being made across town centre activation, heritage restoration, leisure and transport infrastructure. BWB’s support combining heritage expertise with community engagement shows what’s possible when planning for the future and preserving the past move forward together. About the team: The heritage work is led by Phil Moore, Principal Consultant in Advisory – Heritage. The engagement support is delivered by Katy Isaac, Head of Engagement, alongside Joshua Dickerson, Director – Urban Regeneration Market Lead.