South Holland District Council’s bid for depot in Pinchbeck
Council bosses are eyeing up a million-pound site for a new depot – but are being tight-lipped about the details.
South Holland District Council has applied to its own planning department to change the use of the former Light Source and Travis Perkins site in Bervor Close near Wardentree Lane, Pinchbeck, to store its refuse lorries and other vehicles.
The site is currently listed with Longstaff with the price tag of £1,000,000 and is ‘under offer’.
The council will need additional depot space after selling its site in Fleet Street, Holbeach to Aldi.
In the past we have reported that it was considering getting rid of depot in Spalding’s West Marsh Road.
It is not yet known if this location would replace those.
Documents lodged with the planning application state: “The applicant intends to use the site as a ‘council depot’ and it will become the focus of the council’s activities, which are presently disaggregated across several sites.”
According to the sales brochure for the former building merchants premises, the 1.25acre site includes three warehouse areas with the former showroom being used as offices and meeting rooms.
The change of use planning application states the site will be used for the parking of council and employee vehicles along with offices, storage and welfare facilities.
The design and access statement submitted with the plans states the site benefits from a recent general industrial and storage and distribution permission.
But the design and access document goes onto state: “It is not clear whether this planning permission was implemented, however, in the event that it was not, the permission remains extant until July 11, 2024.”
The document goes onto state: “The site will accommodate six refuse collection vehicles, eight cage transit vans, four road sweepers, six assorted other vehicles and space to park 45 staff cars plus a bicycle storage area within the existing yard.”
If the application is approved it will operate largely between the hours of 5.30am and 6pm.
The authority agreed to an undisclosed ‘strategic land acquisition’ during a closed session of the June cabinet meeting – but bosses have refused to confirm if this planning application relates to that decision or how much they have agreed to pay for it due to ‘commercial sensitivities’.
A council spokesman said: “Due to commercial sensitivities and ongoing discussions with a number of interested parties involved, we are unable to provide further details other than those already publicly available as part of the planning application.
"However, further details will be announced when the application goes before the planning committee as well as it being discussed at a future full council meeting."
