December 14, 2015 10.36 am This story is over 99 months old

19th century Lincoln warehouse meets bulldozer on site of new university building

Going, going: Work has begun on the demolition of the former Pea Warehouse on Lincoln’s Brayford Wharf East, making way for a new state-of-the-art University of Lincoln building.
Demolition work has begun on the former Pea Warehouse in Lincoln

Work to demolish the former Pea Warehouse on Lincoln’s Brayford Wharf East has begun, making way for a new state-of-the-art University of Lincoln building.

Bulldozers are on site and swiftly dismantling the 19th century warehouse.

The former Pea Warehouse on Brayford Wharf East

The former Pea Warehouse on Brayford Wharf East

As previously reported, councillors approved the proposals to transform the unused industrial yard into a new home for the university’s Schools of Health and Social Care and Psychology in August.

The £19 million Sarah Swift Building is expected to house a nursing and psychology cohort of around 1,700 by 2018/19.

It is expected to open in early 2017.

Looking south-east towards the proposed Sarah Swift Building

Looking south-east towards the proposed Sarah Swift Building

The site is north of the university’s recently acquired David Chiddick Building, known as Wigford Yard.

The university's masterplan for the site of the site known as Wigford Yard.

The university’s masterplan for the site of the site known as Wigford Yard.

The loss of the building would cause “harm to the significance of the conservation area”, according to English Heritage.

By contrast however, the Lincoln Civic Trust had no objections to the plans, stating the warehouse had no significant architectural merit and is in a poor state.

A University of Lincoln spokesperson said: “The University is investing £19m to create the Sarah Swift Building – the new home for our Schools of Health & Social Care and Psychology.

“The new building is named after Dame Sarah Swift GBE RRC, nurse and founder of the College of Nursing (now the Royal College of Nursing), born in Kirton Skeldyke in south Lincolnshire.

“Health & Social Care and Psychology are two of the largest Schools in the University, and the number of Nursing students at the University has grown rapidly since 2012.

“The facility will house specialist teaching and research spaces for both Schools, as well as general teaching and learning facilities for use by the wider University.”