2nd Stamford Scouts apply for planning permission to build homes on the site of its hut off College Close and Drift Avenue in Stamford
A scout hut could be knocked down and replaced with six flats and two houses.
Leaders from 2nd Stamford Scouts have applied for planning permission to build on the site of their Drift Avenue hut.
The plan is to sell off the land and put the money towards rebuilding the group’s other hut in Empingham Road.
Both properties are ageing and no longer fit for purpose.
Planning permission for the Empingham Road site has already been granted and it is hoped work on the £1.5million project will get underway next year.
Architects from Peter Smiths Associates have drawn up plans for the other site, which is currently accessed from Drift Avenue by car or from College Close on foot.
The plans include six one-bedroom apartments and two three-bedroom houses. One parking space has been allocated for each flat plus two for each house and an additional visitor space and electric charging point for the whole site.
Access from Drift Avenue would be closed off with all traffic entering the development via College Close. Parking spaces allocated to two existing neighbouring council houses would be relocated if required.
In its application the group explains that the hall hasn’t been hired by any external groups since 2015 due to the poor acoustics of the building and issues with parking, while most of its own sections meet at Empingham Road. The groups which do meet at Drift Avenue will relocate across town once the new headquarters is built.
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Scout leader Jan Simmonds, who is part of the rebuild committee, said: “The group has a growing membership and a long waiting list so we need to expand our facilities to meet this increasing demand.
“The new building is estimated to cost £1.5million and we are busy fundraising, but it is crucial for us to sell our Drift Avenue site to help raise the necessary funds, and selling it with planning permission will maximise the revenue from the sale.
“Although the scout hut at Drift Avenue is categorised as a community asset, it is only used by the scout group. As it is land locked with poor access, the public have only hired it once in the last eight years despite regular enquiries about using the site.
“The new headquarters at Empingham Road will offer modern facilities and will be regularly used by community groups.”
South Kesteven District Council will decide whether or not to approve the plans (application number S24/1987).
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