October 23, 2015 12.20 pm This story is over 101 months old

Councillors to decide on Lincoln Cornhill Quarter redevelopment plans

Cornhill redevelopment: Planning permission for a £12 million project to renovate the Cornhill Quarter will be decided by City of Lincoln Council next week.

Planning permission for a £12 million project to renovate the Cornhill Quarter will be decided by City of Lincoln Council next week.

The first phase of the Cornhill Quarter redevelopment would see the modern extension around the Grade II listed Corn Exchange removed to show off the period features of the building.

New windows and shop fronts would be added and the Corn Exchange would be divided up into units for shops and restaurants.

The Corn Exchange would connect to the Greenwoods building through a glazed linking structure.

This first phase of the Cornhill Quarter project would see extensions at the rear of numbers 30a to 35 Sincil Street to make them into larger units.

New shop fronts would make them more visible from High Street and attract more shoppers to the area.

A walkway would be created through number 33 Sincil Street, linking to the proposed new multi-storey car park, which forms part of plans for the Lincoln Transport Hub.

A public consultation was held when the plans were announced in February, with more than 70% of people who responded supporting the scheme.

Despite this, a small number of traders staged a protest against the plans, stating the central market should not be touched.

Lincolnshire Co-op has said that existing tenants from the Cornhill Market have been in regular contact with Banks Long & Co.

The majority have identified alternative accommodation for their businesses if the Cornhill Quarter plans go ahead.

City council and Banks Long & Co staff have also met with the fruit and veg traders to plan where they would operate from in the future.

Ursula Lidbetter. Photo: Steve Smailes for Lincolnshire Business magazine

Ursula Lidbetter. Photo: Steve Smailes for Lincolnshire Business magazine

Chief Executive of Lincolnshire Co-op Ursula Lidbetter said: “We believe our plans for the Cornhill Quarter will help revitalise the area, benefiting the local traders that make Lincoln so special, and also attracting more big names to the city centre.

“We’ve developed our plans to complement the Transport Hub scheme and City of Lincoln’s Council’s aims for its revitalised Central Market.

“We’re looking forward to hearing the planning committee’s views on our scheme.”

Separate planning permission will be required for future phases of the Cornhill Quarter project, which will include developing and improving other parts of Sincil Street and the City Square centre.

Councillors will also discuss whether to grant planning permission for the Lincoln Transport Hub at the same meeting.