August 14, 2016 4.26 pm This story is over 98 months old

Video: Step into the £16m Lincoln Cathedral Connected vision

After three years of planning, the team behind a £16 million project to boost the visitor offer at Lincoln Cathedral with new facilities and conservation are edging closer to the delivery phase. The Lincolnite met with the movers and shakers behind the Lincoln Cathedral Connected scheme for an exclusive look into the vision, which will open…

After three years of planning, the team behind a £16 million project to boost the visitor offer at Lincoln Cathedral with new facilities and conservation are edging closer to the delivery phase.

The Lincolnite met with the movers and shakers behind the Lincoln Cathedral Connected scheme for an exclusive look into the vision, which will open up a historic area of the site to the public for the first time.

Permissions and a planning application for the project will be submitted this week after 18 months of development and consultation.

The plans include:

  • Creation of new visitor facilities (shop, cafe, toilets, changing places room)
  • An Interpretation Centre
  • Landscaping of the West Front and Dean’s Green to create calm and prayerful public spaces
  • Renewing the floodlights
  • Conservation of Exchequergate Arch
  • Conservation of the West Front centre niche, Gallery of Kings and Romanesque Frieze

In October, project partners will submit their second funding bid and know whether they’ve finally secured £12.4 million in funding by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) in January.

Surveying work is planned to begin on site in Spring 2017 and building work will commence from 2018. The project should be finished by 2020.

The architectural gem and holy place of worship is one of the finest surviving medieval cathedrals in northern Europe.

Surprisingly though, the north side of the building has remained a secret from most members of the public.

The project will not only give new life to the former Deanery and Dean’s green, but will also offer an education and interpretation programme from newly build facilities and spaces.

In preparation for the work to come, Connected has already lead to a selection of historic artefacts and stories being unearthed on the site.

Ancient skeletons and artefacts were found during test pit digs in July, and the cathedral’s than suspects that many more interesting finds will crop up as work continues.

It’s even believed the remains of a Roman building lie beneath the Dean’s Green and in the area of a water tank which was installed in the Second World War.

The now redundant tank will be removed as part of the project in a series of community digs.

To get involved in the project, or to find out more, people can contact [email protected].