December 2, 2020 12.18 pm This story is over 39 months old

£150m Waterside regeneration plans revealed

New marina housing planned
An artist's impression of the new marina living area. | Image: Shaw and Jagger Architects

A developer has revealed their £150 million redevelopment plan for Waterside North in Lincoln.

Rizwan Haq, of Engineered for Living, was given permission to redevelop Waterside House into 49 apartments in October.

However, in his latest plans to the City of Lincoln Council, he has also revealed he wants to redevelop the area, including a 148-160-bed hotel and more than 600 homes as well as doctors, nurseries and childcare facilities, a swimming pool and other leisure services.

Waterside House is currently an office block. | Photo: Google Street View

Mr Haq said the city faced “a serious challenge ahead of an unprecedented magnitude”.

“The city centre needs to adapt rapidly and evolve to prevent a rapid decline into a ghost town of empty and abandoned retail outlets,” he said.

“There is a huge opportunity to repurpose the city centre to a provide a more dynamic, diverse and inclusive offering, allowing Lincoln to build on its traditional cultural heritage.

“Waterside North can act as the catalyst to pave the way for this transformation.”

The masterplan layout. | Image: Shaw and Jagger Architects

The latest plans are for two single-storey extensions to Waterside House to provide management accommodation and a sales suite and a new purpose-built bike store.

However, in the new year, Mr Haq wants permission to build a seven-floor apartment block with 126 one-bedroom and 28 two-bedroom flats.

He also wants to extend Waterside House up by an additional two floors.

The largest part of Mr Haq’s plans will be developing the riverside area, including the St Rumbold Street car park, into a ‘Little Holland Marina Living’ area.

A satellite image of the area. | Photo: Google

The land is currently owned by City of Lincoln Council and Mr Haq hopes his masterplan will inspire the authority to let him build on the site, or buy it outright.

He called on them to get involved at an early stage.

“We have investors who are fascinated by Lincoln`s 1,000-year-old cathedral coming from Dubai where the oldest buildings are 20 years old who are eager to invest heavily into the city providing that they can see a suitably interesting and ambitious masterplan,” he said.

Mr Haq’s spending plan includes £6 million on the Waterside House redevelopment, £8million to extend it, £15million on the apartment block and then £120 million on the marina.