Sincil Bank green to be taken over by community trust

Plans for a Sincil Bank play area to be handed to a community trust for a peppercorn rent have been approved.

The City of Lincoln Council gated off St Andrews Close after concerns over anti-social behaviour.

The executive last night agreed to lease the land to the Sincil Bank Community Land Trust at a £1 rate for 25 years.

The trust, which was formed in June 2018, wants to turn the area into a “pocket park” meaning it would be used as open social space for the community.

Director for Communities and Environment Simon Walters told councillors it was “much-needed green space”.

“At the moment it’s locked off all the time, there’s railings around it,” he said.

“It’s completely overgrown with trees and bushes so this is a real opportunity to open that site up for the local community to use and create a meeting space.”

Council leader Ric Metcalfe said it would create more “greening of the city” while Councillor Chris Burke said there was a lot of community support, but urged for reassurance over the prevention of anti-social behaviour.

Councillor Burke added the move was a good indication that the authority was looking at “less intense housing” in the area.

The project comes as part of other regeneration plans in the area, including a community hub on Portland Street and the introduction of CCTV cameras.

£235,899 was awarded by the government earlier this year to help improve the Sincil Bank area.