Hotel plans for site in Lincoln get green light

21 May 2020

Plans to knock down the former House of Fraser in the centre of Lincoln and replace it with a hotel and retail scheme were approved last night.

The four-storey building in High Street has been earmarked for the development which will feature 150 rooms and retail and leisure space on the ground floor.

The new building will rise from two to five storeys and include a total of 80,686 sq ft of internal space.

The four-star hotel will support 35 full-time equivalent (FTE) and 20 part-time equivalent roles as well as at least ten housekeeping positions.

Between 49 and 66 FTE jobs will be created for the retail space and 90 FTE construction roles will be supported.

Applicant Halifax Pension Nominees secured the go-ahead from City of Lincoln Council when its planning committee met remotely yesterday (20 May).

A council document published ahead of the meeting stated: "The proposals represent an opportunity to address an identified need for a lifestyle hotel and mixed-use scheme of the highest quality at a prominent location in the heart of the city centre and conservation area, whilst securing a long term future for this prominent site and impacting positively on the city centre economy.

"The public realm would be improved with the creation of a landscaped area and enhanced movement through the re-opening of St Peter's Passage, linking High Street and Mint Lane and assisting the development in integrating into the wider townscape.

"Whilst the development would impact on the historic environment, the harm is considered to be less than substantial.

"Officers consider that there is a clear and convincing justification for this harm which is outweighed by the significant public benefits offered by the proposed scheme.

"On balance, therefore, it is considered, that, notwithstanding the very considerable weight that must be given to preserving the setting of the conservation area, the harm caused would be less than substantial and would be outweighed by the public benefits of the scheme and therefore meet the requirements set out in paragraph 196 of the NPPF."