August 20, 2020 4.43 pm This story is over 43 months old

Vision to regenerate Lincoln refocused after coronavirus

Rethink needed of 5yr plan announced in February
Photo: Daniel Ionescu for The Lincolnite

Plans for major regenerations of “forgotten” areas of Lincoln may have to be put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Vision 2025 proposals, announced in February, included major projects such as regenerating estates such as Waterside East and Sincil Bank.

It also aspired to increase sustainable transport use, meet the area’s housing need.

However, an annual governance survey has said that the coronavirus pandemic means the vision will need to be revisited.

Instead it will be “repurposed to support the recovery of the city and council economically and ensure community support”.

According to documents before audit committee councillors next Thursday, this will include the creation of a five-year recovery plan.

“The council’s response to the pandemic was to proactively divert resources to tackle the emergency and all projects and programmes that could be paused/had not already commenced were stopped in a planned way,” said the documents.

“Tackling the emergency situation and resulting recovery phase has been a long process due to the prevalence of COVID-9 nationally and there is now a need to review Vision 2025, re-profile the commitments in the strategy and then communicate it widely.”

A year one delivery action plan will focus on remobilising services, creating savings, developing “legacy projects” and further developing new ways of working.

When Vision 2025 was announced in February, council leader Ric Metcalfe said: “We can be certain that the future holds rapid growth and social, economic and technological change across the world which will offer Lincoln many opportunities and challenges.”