South Holland District Council planning committee to make decision on community hub plans for former Spalding department store

The people behind a bid to transform a former department store into a community hub are ‘extremely disappointed’ at a recommendation to refuse planning permission.

Members of South Holland District Council’s planning committee will tonight (Wednesday) be making a decision on The Lighthouse Pentecostal Church’ application to change the use of the former Coneys store in Broad Street, Spalding.

The church was hoping to change the use of the former Hills store from retail to mixed use, comprising of ancillary retail, cafe, play space, offices, church, community meeting place and food bank.

The planning committee has been advised to refuse planning permission on the grounds of a loss of retail space.

A spokesman for the church said: “We would like to say that we are extremely disappointed with the recommendation of the planning officer (to the committee).

“As a long-established church in Spalding that has always made supporting the community our focus, we feel that this proposal will enable us to bring something of value to the town centre.

“The soft play area, youth zone, children’s club, Agapecare foodbank, street pastors, bookshop, cafe added to all the other activities that currently run out of the Lighthouse church will make that premises a real hub of activity every day for the community in a location that people can access with ease.

“We have always been respectful of, and seek to continue to work with the council, having done so for many years, however, the main challenge that we face is space.

“Finding a property within Spalding large enough to accommodate us is very difficult, we believe we have found it in Hills and hope that the council will see the many benefits that this project could bring overall.”