April 24, 2023 6.00 pm This story is over 24 months old

The history behind the waterside hotel coming to Lincoln’s Cornhill Quarter

There were initially other ideas of how to utilise the space
A indicative CGI of how the hotel could look
By Local Democracy Reporter

Big changes are coming to Lincoln’s Cornhill Quarter as outline plans for a 105-bed hotel have been approved.

Lincolnshire Co-op received the green light from City of Lincoln Council’s Planning Committee last week to fulfil its vision of a six-storey hotel on the corner of Waterside South.

It will also include new specialist accommodation for older people.

The development is set to be built on its currently vacant City Square Centre store and will also likely involve the demolition of the footbridge across Melville Street.

The hotel would replace the currently vacant Lincolnshire Co-op shopping centre | Photo: James Turner

The former shopping complex closed in 2019 to make way for a new food store at 18-20 Sincil Street, next to the bus station, offering takeaway drinks, snacks and hot food.

Staff from the old shop were offered redeployment in the new shop or other Lincolnshire Co-op stores.

However, there were initially other ideas of how to utilise the space.

The Lindongate scheme

Lincolnshire Co-op looked to transform the east of the city under this £100 million plan by turning it into a shopping complex, featuring a brand new bus station.

The plans were approved by City of Lincoln Council in 2012 as it was labelled the ‘development of the decade’ but only part of it has since come to fruition.

Phase one of the project included stripping away modern extensions to the Corn exchange in a bid to create elegant shop fronts at ground level.

It also meant that the City Square Centre would be redeveloped and shops along Sincil Street would be refurbished and extended to create major additional retail leisure floorspace.

An overview of the Cornhill redevelopment as part of the wider Lindongate scheme

Planners noted that Cathedral views would be blocked on Tentercroft Street, but the prospect of more foot traffic in the city centre won over the Planning Committee.

The overall masterplan also included the demolition of Oxford Hall, formerly the Grand Hotel, to make room for a multi-storey car park.

Read more – Residents divided over removal of ‘eyesore’ Lincoln footbridge

MyLocal Lincolnshire is the new home of The Lincolnite. Download the app now.