Lindongate shopping complex plans refined

A proposal to bring a new shopping complex, car park and bus station to Lincoln has been further refined to meet up with requirements.

The Lindongate project by Lincolnshire Co-op has had an Environmental Statement released, outlining changes to the original 2008 proposal.

The proposal outlined the Co-operatives’ plans to build a shopping complex, complete with department store in the city’s Sincil Street area.

The current units and bus station would be demolished to make room for the complex, but a modern bus station would be erected alongside Lincoln Central Train Station.

The project would take up to 30 months to complete, and is assumed to be complete in early 2015, creating up to 3,250 regional direct and indirect jobs.

Refinements may happen before a full planning application is submitted to the council due to survey discoveries, changes in design or public consultation ideas.

Generally, Lindongate passed the majority of surveys undertaken, such as how the development would impact traffic, waste disposal, socio-economic factors, archaeology and other important factors in planning regulation.

Changes

There will now only be room for 21 residential units instead of the original 180, partially to cut down on waste generated.

Instead of 1,000 parking spaces, there will now be between 850 and 900 spots, with an additional 28 short stay bays at the train station.

Parking will have its own multi-storey complex in the south-east of the project (Block E), near to the new bus station, with junctions designed to reduce queueing.

Extra bus facilities will allocated here, such as Dial-A-Ride and Shopmobility.

The Bus Station has also been granted an extra stand and a “herringbone” layout, complete with canopies. However, there will no longer be a kiosk.

Due to the position of the bus station next to Lincoln Central, an additional footbridge will be added.

Positive consultation

Lincolnshire Co-operative’s Chief Executive Ursula Lidbetter said: “The submissions we are now making to the City of Lincoln Council cover a lot of technical issues to do with changes to the plans and also, cover extra information we have been asked to submit such as transport surveys, ecological and environmental assessments, architectural work and archaeological investigations.

“We will also be submitting a report to the council about the second public consultation and the feedback we had from members of the public.

“During the open sessions that were held in Sincil Street we welcomed lots of people through the doors who wanted to ask questions or see the plans in more detail.

“During July and August, we also had more than 1,000 visitors to the website we set up about the scheme and the changes to it.

“Of those who submitted comments about Lindongate to us, 92 per cent were positive which was pleasing.

“We believe that Lindongate will deliver lots of benefits to people in Lincoln and beyond, including a new transport interchange, parking and retail facilities. We’re glad to see the scheme moving forward in this way.”