Approval recommended for Grantham school site’s transformation into housing

An application to redevelop a former Grantham school into 60 apartments has been recommended for approval.

Invicta Developments Limited is seeking full planning permission to convert part of the Old School House on Station Road East, Grantham, into six apartments and build three three-storey apartment blocks, providing a total of 60 homes.

The revised plan is set for discussion by South Kesteven District Council’s planning committee today (Thursday, February 6), which meets at 1pm.

The proposal includes communal gardens, cycle storage and 20 parking bays, but concerns remain over sufficiency.

The Old School House, a non-designated heritage asset, has been vacant since its last use as a furniture sales space and indoor market.

Spitalgate School, open from 1884 to 1977, later became an indoor market and antiques centre.

South Kesteven’s conservation officer has expressed concern over the extent of demolition and whether the new structures will respect the site’s historical character, while the authority’s urban design officer said: “The original primary concerns and the reasons for refusal still remain.”

Officers call the demolition “unjustified” and warn the site’s identity may be “lost”.

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Both Grantham Town Council and London North Eastern Railway (LNER) have raised concerns about parking shortages, given that only 20 spaces are planned for 60 apartments.

The town council has objected, stating: “There remains potential for the site to be used for retail purposes.”

LNER objected, saying no consultation took place on railway-leased land use.

It has called for funding towards improvements to the station’s access, maintenance for Station Road East and better wayfinding.

“The planning application includes an assumption that the developers and subsequent residents will be able to use land held under a 99-year lease by LNER. This hasn’t been agreed,” the company stated in its response.

The Grantham Civic Society has welcomed efforts to retain the eastern section of the building but has requested that historical elements, such as notice boards, be preserved in communal areas.

It praised the applicant for having “taken on board a number of concerns” but also said there was “likely to be insufficient parking on site.”

Heritage Lincolnshire has raised no objections but wants historic features recorded before demolition.

Lincolnshire County Council’s highways department has requested a parking statement to assess whether the plans will lead to overspill onto public roads.

A financial contribution of £10,000 has also been requested for the Grantham Transport Strategy.

Council officers have recommended approval of the application, stating that the revised plans address earlier concerns while ensuring a viable redevelopment.

They say the project would provide 60 new homes in a sustainable location, contributing to the district’s housing supply.

While acknowledging the loss of part of the Old School House, officers believe the public benefits—such as increased housing and economic investment—outweigh the harm to the site’s heritage.

“It is officers’ assessment that the public benefits associated with the provision of 60 dwellings within the main built-up area of Grantham would outweigh the substantial harm caused to the significance of the non-designated former school buildings that would result from the demolition of the former Infant School House,” the report states.