Better sports facilities and affordable homes
Lincoln College has revealed plans to build new all-weather football and rugby pitches, as well as nearly 80 affordable homes on sports fields in the north of the city.
In a letter to residents, the college said it would give up parts of the Ravendale Sports Ground on Ermine East for housing development, in order to fund the new sports facilities.
Plans include 49 houses to the east of the estate and a further 28 houses to the west, which brings the total number to 77.
The project would also include renovation of the fields between Longsdale Road and Ravendale Drive in the Ermine East estate.
Project planners want to build six different grass football pitches and a 3G pitch for both football and rugby.
There are plenty of playing fields and houses in the plans. Photo: Globe Consultants
The college held a public consultation meeting with local residents on Tuesday, January 8.
Feedback from the meeting will be used to shape the final plans before they’re submitted to the City of Lincoln Council.
Lincoln College promised new sports facilities would be the highest quality and that the area would be open for the community to use.
There will be more trees planted and an open path around the sports facilities for people to enjoy.
Anyone will be able to access the field for leisure activities. Photo: Globe Consultants
Enhancements are also proposed to include landscaping, footpaths, seating areas and play equipment.
Tom Dannatt, Lincoln College Group Director of Finance and Commercial, said: “Currently this large piece of land is made up of a series of grass pitches that the community has very limited access to.
“The maintenance costs of this underutilised land are a drain on limited college finances and much needed investment is not possible without rationalising the site.
“The sale of two small pockets of land for affordable housing will free up the capital needed to enhance facilities for our students and the community.
“Part of our vision as a college group is to add recognised social and economic value to the community and this has driven us to work with a housing association partner from the outset.
“There is a critical shortage of affordable housing in the city, preventing young people from getting on the housing ladder.
“We are confident that this proposal would enhance sports facilities in the community; open up and improve an underused green space and provide around 70 new homes for young people and families.”
An aerial view of the proposed plans. Photo: Globe Consultants
Residents still have the opportunity to submit their feedback in the formal planning process.
In the mean time, anyone who wishes to comment on the plans can send an email to [email protected]
A dramatic video shows a car engulfed in flames in the car park at Lincoln County Hospital on Tuesday afternoon.
An on-call crew from Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue attended the scene on Greetwell Road shortly before 5pm on Tuesday, April 13.
The crew used one hose reel to extinguish the fire and fortunately no casualties were reported.
The car is probably a write-off. | Photo: The Lincolnite
Dramatic pictures from the scene show the severe damage that was caused to the front of the car.
Fall in county infections but a Boston spike
There have been 50 new coronavirus cases and three COVID-related deaths in Greater Lincolnshire on Tuesday — compared to 58 cases and no deaths this time last week.
The government’s COVID-19 dashboard recorded 26 new cases in Lincolnshire, 19 in North Lincolnshire and five in North East Lincolnshire.
On Tuesday, three deaths were registered in Lincolnshire, none in North East Lincolnshire and -1 in North Lincolnshire. Fluctuations in data are usually due to some deaths in those areas being reallocated to other regions across the UK or a miscount. These figures include deaths both in and out of hospitals, as well as residents in hospitals outside the county.
NHS England has reported two new local hospital deaths at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust hospitals.
On Tuesday, national cases increased by 2,472 to 4,375,814, while deaths rose by 23 to 127,123.
In local news, people aged over 45 can now book their COVID vaccinations on the NHS website after the government reached its target of offering a first dose to the nine most vulnerable groups.
There were recently some technical difficulties for people accessing the NHS website, but vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi said the issues have been fixed – book a vaccine online here and find out if you are eligible.
Over the weekend, Greater Lincolnshire’s infection rate has fallen, with a spike in Boston only.
Similarly, the England average has also seen a drop in infections, but still remains nearly half Greater Lincolnshire’s rates.
Lincoln has dropped by more than half over the weekend and now has one of the smallest rates in the UK, with just 9.1 per 100,000 of the population infected with COVID-19.
Here’s Greater Lincolnshire’s COVID-19 infection rates up to April 12:
Greater Lincolnshire’s infection rates from Apr 5 to Apr 12. | Data: Gov UK / Table: James Mayer for The Lincolnite
In national news, Boris Johnson has warned that the reduction in coronavirus infections, hospitalisations and deaths “has not been achieved” by the rollout of COVID vaccines.
The prime minister, speaking the day after the latest easing of lockdown restrictions, instead said it was the national shutdown that had been “overwhelmingly important” in driving down COVID rates.
England is giving out its first doses of the Moderna jab, the third COVID-19 vaccine in the nation’s rollout.
It will be available at 21 sites, included the Madejski Stadium in Reading and the Sheffield Arena.
Along with the Pfizer jab, it offers an alternative to the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine for under-30s, after concerns about a possible link to very rare blood clots.
Greater Lincolnshire includes Lincolnshire and the unitary authorities of North and North East (Northern) Lincolnshire.
58,772 cases (up 50)
2,184 deaths (up three)
of which 1,302 hospital deaths (up two)
4,375,814 UK cases, 127,123 deaths
There will be another Kill The Bill protest in Lincoln next week, rallying against a new government bill that diminishes protesting rights.
Protests have been rife across the country since the government’s proposed Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill was first discussed, with scenes turning violent in Bristol.
Over two hundred people peacefully took part in the city’s first march at Speakers’ Corner on April 3, including Extinction Rebellion activists and Socialist and Labour supporters.
| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Now, after a post started doing the rounds on social media, another protest has apparently been scheduled for 2pm on Monday, April 17 at the same location on Lincoln High Street, as part of a national day of action.
A poster promoting a second event has been shared across social media platforms.
Protests are lawful once again after the government eased lockdown restrictions on March 29, but organisers are required to submit a risk assessment prior to any event.
| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Organisers of the last protest were in close communication with police to make the event safe, and The Lincolnite has asked Lincolnshire Police if they have been made aware of another protest, but are yet to receive a reply.
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