Plans to use former Lincoln Cathedral quarry for housing and care home

Plans for nearly 60 houses and a new care home in the north of Lincoln have been revealed.

Lindum Group and Lincoln Cathedral are currently consulting on their outline plans for the former Cathedral Quarry off Riseholme Road.

However, residents have already raised some concerns over the design of the site.

An event at Bishop Grosseteste University on Monday night saw more than 50 nearby residents invited to take a look at the plans.

Lindum land and planning manager Robert Jays said: “We were really pleased with the turnout and believe it represents a good level of engagement with the local community.

“It gave us the chance to discuss comments and concerns and has given us plenty to review and consider before the application is formally submitted in the early summer months.”

The Cathedral has owned the site since 1874 and quarried it actively for a number of years, using the limestone it extracted to renovate and repair the Cathedral.

However, the owners said the quarry is now redundant, and hope to use any profits from the sale of the site to reinvest in further repair and maintenance of the historic building.

How the site looks currently. | Image: Lindum Group/Lincoln Cathedral

Susan Nock, who attended the consultation event on Monday, was one of those with concerns, particularly regarding a wooded bund around the site.

“The development goes to every boundary of the site and the wooded bund is partly leveled and becomes part of the properties’ back gardens ,which means that if it survives Lindum’s diggers it is likely to be removed by the new owners,” she said.

“There will be a fight to retain the bund as a separate wooded area providing a wildlife corridor and valued green space as well as all the benefits we know trees provide to the environment.

“I intend to do everything I can to ensure it is retained and continues to thrive.”

She noted that a previous application to Lincolnshire County Council placed a restoration and aftercare condition on the works, which were still taking place.

Another image of how the site could look. | Image: Lindum Group/Lincoln Cathedral

Mr Jays said the existing bund was created by the quarrying activity and said the plans would still retain “a good, landscaped buffer around the site, while also making the ground an even level with the adjacent land.”

“In addition, a survey has taken place to documents all trees on site.

“Whilst some existing trees will be lost in the development of the site, plans include the planting of replacement trees, resulting in an overall net increase of trees across the development site,” he added.

“It would be great to see this brownfield area regenerated and brought back into use for local people.”

The site is proposed to be included as a new housing allocation in the emerging Central Lincolnshire Local Plan.

The revised plan should be adopted and form planning policy for the area in early 2023.

It is hoped the planning application itself will be submitted later this year.

Residents wishing to comment on the proposals can email [email protected].