June 25, 2018 12.44 pm This story is over 72 months old

Lincoln Sports Direct shopping complex rejected

It’s a ‘no’ for this new Lincoln shopping complex

Plans for Sports Direct to open its own gym and designer clothing store in Lincoln have been rejected by the city council.

The proposals would have seen the sports retailer build the complex next to the Morrisons supermarket site on Tritton Road.

Over 230 car parking spaces were included in the plan and the 6,716 sqm development would have created around 160 jobs.

The development would have included the retailer’s own Flannels clothing and accessories unit.

Proposals submitted by Jigsaw Planning on behalf of Sports Direct

But City of Lincoln Council said that the proposals would have an impact on the city centre.

In a decision notice, they said: “The development of an open A1 retail use unit in an out of centre location would have a harmful impact on the vitality of the city centre.”

They added that the complex was “capable of being located in the city centre”.

The city council also said that the design of the building failed to respond to the character of the area.

Planning permission already exits on the application site for the majority of floorspace asked for in the application.

But Sports Direct previously said in a planning statement that the development would have minimal impact.

They said: “Lincoln city centre has been shown to be experiencing strong levels of vitality and viability with steady vacancy levels.

“The impact has shown that there will be minimal impacts experienced and these are offset by the substantial growth in comparison good turnover expected over the test years as well as the proposed development in the St Marks Centre redevelopment.”