April 12, 2022 12.30 pm This story is over 22 months old

Plan to turn former dealership site into care home up for approval

Second application still in discussions

Plans for a new care home in Lincoln are up for approval next week.

City of Lincoln Council’s planning committee will be asked to vote in favour of Torsion Care’s plans for the former Peugeot dealership Abacus Motor Group at 471-480 High Street at a meeting next Wednesday.

The dealership closed in July 2018 and the showroom and ancillary motor repair buildings would be demolished as part of the plans.

The new care home will include 73 en-suite rooms across three floors, with extra facilities including office spaces, laundry and shared kitchen and lounge facilities.

It will have access from Cross Spencer Street, its own car park and turning area, as well as landscaping, refuse and cycle storage.

Officers said the development would “relate well to the site and surroundings”.

“The proposals would bring a vacant site back into use and would ensure the character and appearance of the Conservation Area is preserved,” said their report.

Views from car park facing south. | Photo: Stem Architects Ltd

Torsion Care is part of Leeds-based firm Torsion Group.

A second application to build an elderly residential living apartment building including 32 apartments is still under discussion with officers.

It would include the conversion of the former United Reform Church into five residential apartments.

If the care home is given the go ahead, the developer has agreed to pay £28,707.25 to NHS England to provide additional clinical space.

A number of comments have been received to the application, with concerns from neighbouring properties including traffic, parking, access into the site, loss of privacy, impact on local GP services, concerns with scale, wildlife and light pollution.