'Parking spaces in Grantham are difficult enough to find at busy times, without removing any'

A Grantham woman has questioned the sense of building housing on a popular town centre car park.

As reported earlier this week, South Kesteven District Council has approved a £3.5 million contract to build sheltered accommodation in Swinegate, losing 16 spaces in Watergate car park in the process.

The contract, with Lindum Group, follows the council's decision in May last year to demolish properties in Swinegate and an outbuilding behind 44-46 Watergate and build 20 social flats in their place – and across part of the car park.

According to SKDC, the car park "operates at an average 75 per cent capacity" and "therefore the loss of car parking spaces is not considered to be detrimental to the viability and demand for spaces can still be met".

However Grantham resident Lynda North has written in this week to challenge the move.

She said: "Whilst it seems reasonable to replace semi-derelict buildings in Swinegate with modern flats, why does this have to involve the removal of at least 16 car parking spaces from the Watergate car park?

"Watergate currently has only 100 spaces, so reducing it by 16 per cent doesn’t seem ideal. Parking spaces in Grantham are difficult enough to find at busy times, without removing any.

"I wonder if the parking survey was carried out at busy times or at notoriously quiet times.

"Just where does SKDC suggest that visitors to events at St Wulfram’s, the King’s School and the National School park, away from eagle-eyed traffic wardens, if this car park is reduced in size?

"Many parents park there on a daily basis to collect schoolchildren, so it is well used, even if not permanently “full”.

"Many shoppers, shop workers, visitors to the surgery and other businesses in Vine Street also use it regularly.

"Many visitors to cubs/scouts/brownies, etc also use this car park after 6pm and on Sundays, when revenue is not recorded, so revenue probably doesn’t tell the whole story of how well-used this car park is.

"Is this yet another ploy by our council to persuade people to avoid Grantham as parking is either very expensive (in Wharf Road and Welham Street) or in short supply?

"Maybe SKDC could alter these plans to preserve all parking spaces in Watergate? But I suppose few councillors actually use this car park so have no concept of how busy it can become.

"I suppose the ultimate plan is that we should all shop at the new shopping village, when it finally appears, thus negating the need for any town centre car parks!

"One can only feel sorry for all businesses in Grantham when shoppers finally give up visiting Grantham altogether."

In addition to Watergate, SKDC operates car parks in Welham Street, Wharf Road, Greenwoods Row and Conduit Lane.

Speaking at a previous meeting to discuss the housing plan, Julie Martin, head of housing and technical services at SKDC, said: "We currently have 133 applicants on the housing register that meet the criteria for this type of housing, and what we’re looking to try and do is create a scheme which embraces assistive technology, with a clear focus on safety and energy efficiency.

""So we’re looking at something really quite modern and forward-thinking for residents which takes us into the future."

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