Developers want to work with South Holland District Council to transform Spalding and Long Sutton eyesores

A development firm wants to work with South Holland District Council to help transform some of the area’s eyesores.

Jamie Sandford and Robert Bridgewater, who run API Investments, say they would love to buy grot spots such as Spalding’s Johnson Hospital and The Bull Hotel in Long Sutton - which are long-standing sources of frustration for residents.

Our sister paper, The Spalding Guardian, has highlighted the limited enforcement action taken against owners of the district’s deteriorating sites.

The Government told us it has given councils ‘new’ compulsory purchase order (CPO) powers to legally force owners to sell properties - but SHDC says it must protect the taxpayer from ‘costly and potentially unsuccessful expenditure’ with such a move.

Mr Sandford, who has experience in revitalising previous eyesores such as The Bell in Holbeach, said a CPO should be used as a last resort.

He said: “I would love the opportunity to purchase other derelict buildings including the Johnson Hospital, Bull Hotel in Long Sutton, Spalding Sorting Office and if they become available I would be interested in purchasing them or working with the council to produce a win win outcome.

“We have turned many derelict buildings around over the past four years including The Chequers in Holbeach, Adderley House in Long Sutton, and The Red Cow in Donington. All have been Grade II listed, where we have worked closely with the local authority’s heritage team as well as Historic England to bring them back to the beautiful buildings they once were.”

We approached the Ministry for Housing, Communites and Local Government following our previous stories - in which calls were made for owners of dilapidated sites to be held accountable for their sites.

A spokesman said:“Making the most of previously developed land is a priority – that’s why we’re giving councils new compulsory purchase powers to take over derelict buildings and convert them into homes.

“We’ve also provided £500 million through the Brownfield Land Release Fund and Brownfield Housing Fund to unlock more land for housing.”

We have been told that this fund is not suitable for tackling these sites.

Under its Building Back Better High Streets, the Government says it wants councils to use CPOs for ‘long-term empty properties and where property owners are stalling regeneration plans’. It also wants to ‘strengthen the capacity and support for local authorities to ensure they are able to use these new CPO powers and rights to support the transformation of high streets’.

An SHDC spokesman said: “It is always great to see a positive outcome with a site or building of this nature, as we have seen recently with the Red Cow in Donington, where the private sector has been able to come in and develop with the support of the council.

“We are always keen to hear from, and work with, anyone who has development ideas, plans or an interest in these other sites within the district, as we continue to try and find the most appropriate long term solution for them.

“Compulsory Purchase Orders are one power that is available to the council, but these can be lengthy, expensive and complex processes without a guarantee of a positive outcome. We, like the local community, want to see these key sites in the district back in use, but we must also protect the taxpayer from costly and potentially unsuccessful expenditure where we can.”