Middlesbrough Council’s planning committee has given Lane 7 the green light to proceed with its plans for Captain Cook Square.

Just 18 minutes after the meeting started, councillors unanimously approved the proposals for the 14-lane ten-pin bowling alley at the former TJ Hughes site.

However, it won’t just be bowling – plans also show multiple bars, a go-kart track, ping-pong tables, pool tables, a shuffleboard or beer pong area, and darts or shooting pods sprawled across two floors.

Despite the plans being agreed, there were some concerns raised by councillors during the meeting –  Cllr Carolyn Dodds was worried about the proposed late opening times.

She added: “I’m just concerned about the closing time of 2am in the morning, why is it necessary to remain open until the early hours of the morning?”

The planning department’s development control manager Andrew Glossop said that the opening times had been requested by the applicant and that it would probably depend on demand how late it stayed open.

Cllr Janet Thompson raised concerns about residential areas not being consulted.

In response, Mr Glossop said that there were site notices put up at the former TJ Hughes site to alert people to the plans.

She also asked whether the Captain Cook Square car park would be extending its opening hours,  due to the venue’s late opening times, as it currently closes at either 7:30pm (Mon – Sat) or 6pm (Sun).

The councillor was worried that drivers would park in residential streets once this car park closed.

Mr Glossop said that there was more than adequate parking in the town centre and he didn’t think it would pose an issue.

Cllr David Coupe spoke out in favour of the plans, he said: “I think we would benefit from it. I think you’ve got a few shop premises that have shut down so I just see this as a benefit to bring somebody in and bring footfall to the town centre.”

The councillors went on to all vote in favour of the plans.

The Lane 7 proposals are part of a strategy to create a regional leisure hub at Captain Cook Square.

E-Sports venue The Wired Lobby has also applied for a licence for a site at the former Peacocks and it is also hoping to remain open until 2am.

The council bought Captain Cook Square in July 2020 for £8m and House of Fraser for £1m, using cash from the government’s Future High Streets Fund.

Just this week, the mayor said that the council stepped in to save the Cleveland Centre, snapping it up for £12m – a huge decrease on the £85m it sold for less than six years ago.