May 27, 2021 9.09 am This story is over 34 months old

Lincolnshire Co-op food store, shops and homes lined up for former pub site

It would replace the Swanpool food store
The artist impressions for the new store, retail units and homes. | Photo: Lincolnshire Co-op

A £2 million proposal to build a Lincolnshire Co-op food store, commercial units and houses on a former Lincoln pub site have been lodged with city planners.

If plans are approved, Lincolnshire Co-op would redevelop the site of the Monson Arms pub on busy Skellingthorpe Road.

The scheme would include two additional units and a pair of semi-detached three-bedroomed houses.

The store would replace the Swanpool Food Store, further down Skellingthorpe Road. The existing 12-strong team would transfer over with up to five new jobs being created.

Inside, the larger outlet would have around 50% more sales space, offering a wider choice of products and services like chilled beers and wines, freshly baked bread and a Costa Express service. It would also have a substantially bigger car park, with 30 spaces.

Lincolnshire Co-op’s Store Development Manager Matt Wilkinson said: “The proposed store would give our customers and members a much-improved shopping experience, with a greater choice of products and a more accessible car park. Our colleagues would also benefit from a larger back-of-house area.”

The two units would be suitable for a variety of uses – such as retail, health and beauty or takeaway – and would be marketed to let.

The society has planning permission granted in 2019 for a similar scheme featuring 10 apartments instead of two houses. However, prolonged utilities work in the area meant that the start of the project was delayed.

“We aimed to co-ordinate the build with the substantial utilities upgrades in the area,” said Mr Wilkinson. “Now that work has been completed, we’ve reassessed the scheme and have adapted the housing element to be more suitable for current market demand.”

If planning permission is granted, it is hoped work could start in summer 2021 and the store could be open in spring 2022.

The Swanpool Food Store will remain open as normal throughout the work.