Work on the biggest regeneration project that Lincoln will have seen in decades – including a new Lincoln City FC stadium at Swanpool – can go ahead after the government decided not to ‘call-in’ the plans.
The Western Growth Corridor scheme could bring more than £500 million worth of investment into the city and provide hundreds of jobs.
City of Lincoln Council leader Coun Ric Metcalfe has written to Lincolnshire County Council to better understand the reasoning behind its request to invite the Secretary of State to call-in the application
The plans will be jointly delivered by the city council and Lindum Western Growth Community Ltd, and will supply the city with 3,200 homes, a leisure village, an industrial park and transport infrastructure which it is hoped will help alleviate some of Lincoln’s worst traffic problems.
The council said transport improvements will include a new spine road through the centre of the development, connecting the development with the city centre and surrounding area.
The city council, sitting as the planning authority, approved the Western Growth Corridor plans on January 12.
Now that the call-in has been refused, initial works on site are expected to begin later this year.
Coun Metcalfe, said: “We are very pleased that the Secretary of State has rejected the call-in request for the Western Growth Corridor planning application, giving city councillors the ability to make the ultimate decision for the site.
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“The planning application has significant local importance; it is policy compliant and allocated within the local plan.
“Government has responded quickly and favourably in refusing the call-in and allowing us to progress with the project.
“The decision notice for the site has now been successfully issued, and I look forward with the project starting in the near future.”
Mark Foster, Lindum planning director, said: “We are delighted that the plans have not been called in by the Secretary of State and we are now looking forward to re-engaging with the local community, ward councillors and Lincolnshire County Council as highways authority, to deliver a scheme that’s right for Lincoln.
“We have taken note of concerns raised during the application process, and articulated on the night of the Committee, and we want to work together to ensure we get this right.
“It has taken many years of hard work to get to this point and we are pleased to see the scheme now gathering momentum.”
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