August 1, 2018 12.26 pm This story is over 76 months old

New house ‘nod to history’ on site of former library

New life for the former library
Plans have been submitted to demolish Skellingthorpe library and build a house in its place.

Plans to demolish a former village library and build a house on the site will ‘give a nod to its history’ according to developers.

The application for Skellingthorpe Library, which closed in 2015 amongst a number of Lincolnshire County Council cuts to the service, says the new single home will include, for example, ‘different sized windows to the Northern elevation to mimic books standing on edge as well as a number of brickwork detailing as a banding course and recessed brick windows’.

Documents submitted North Kesteven District Council by GreyCastle Architectural on behalf of applicants Mr and Mrs Wilcox, say that until recently, the site was ‘unkempt and overgrown’ but had been cleared after it was sold to the couple.

A site layout plan of where the new building will go.

The new build, on Church Road, will include on-site parking and will be a two-storey house.

The design and access statement for the house says it is compliant with the local plan and has addressed all concerns.

It says: “The residential layout is of a density that fully integrates with the wider built locale and a number of design concepts have been incorporated and carried through in the design and layouts of the proposal.

“These have been implemented to create a high quality and attractive small-scale residential scheme ensuring that the proposals integrate within the wider setting, both in terms of its access and overall design; and minimise impacts on the wider area.

“The details submitted demonstrate an efficient and effective use of the land which maximizes the residential purposes.”

An example of how the plans will reflect the site’s history. The windows are designed to look like books.

Lincolnshire County Council closed a number of libraries between in between 2013-16 as it attempted to make between £1.9million-£2million in savings.

The moves sparked protests across the county and resulted in the running of a number of facilities being taken over by Greenwich Leisure Limited or volunteer-led community hubs.