September 16, 2022 4.55 pm This story is over 32 months old

Grantham shopping centre makeover could lead to redevelopment

The indoor glazed roof would be removed under new plans
The George Hotel was turned into a shopping centre in the 1990s | Photo: Google

A Grantham shopping is set to get a makeover which could open the door for redevelopment.

Plans have been submitted to remove a glazed roof from the internal courtyard of the George Shopping Centre on the High Street.

This would remove long-running barriers to residential development on the upper floors, also increasing the historic building’s lifespan.

The “nationally renowned” Grade II* listed building was converted from the George Hotel in the 1990s, with the glass roof placed over the former stable area.

The planning application has been submitted by Nottingham-based Conception Architects.

“For the past four years we have had discussions with South Kesteven District Council and Historic England about the opportunities for redevelopment offered by the Grade II* Listed George Hotel and existing shopping centre in Grantham,” the application says.

“Those opportunities are currently hindered by the presence of the internal courtyard glazed roof, which makes a potential residential development of the upper floors very difficult, if not impossible.”

Impressions of the removal of the shopping centre’s roof | Photo: Conception Architects

The renovations would represent “a significant investment easing the building’s maintenance and increasing its future lifespan.”

“Overall, the proposal will reinstate the historic courtyard to external use and won’t affect the heritage value of the surrounding in Grantham Conservation Area.”

The work would also include the removal of an existing escalator and a shopping unit, and changes to the steel columns.

The George Hotel is believed to have been built in the late 1700s, and was regarded by Charles Dickens as the finest English inn – even featuring in one of his novels.

The hotel closed in 1989, when one wing was demolished and it was remodelled into a shopping arcade.

The application goes onto say: “Now sitting largely empty in 2022 after the difficult trading conditions presented by Covid-19, it is clear that The George Shopping Centre, despite its attractive historic frontage, has been struggling for some time.”

The application has been submitted to South Kesteven District Council for approval.