Former Cummins site in Barnack Road, Stamford is finally being cleared

Work has resumed at a former factory site to clear remaining waste material from a stalled housing development.

Stockpiles of crushed material resulting from the demolition of Cummins’ factories off Barnack Road in Stamford will be taken away in an operation expected to take 10 weeks.

South Kesteven District Council spent £7.5 million buying the site in 2018 which, combined with adjacent land owned by Burghley House Preservation Trust, will form the 14.7 hectare St Martin’s Park development.

The development will eventually feature a commercial area, recreation areas, a retirement village and a mixture of 190 homes including 30% that are ‘affordable’.

But since announcing the project five years have elapsed and the council has been paying up to £250,000 a year to keep the electricity supply to the site.

So far the council has poured more than £10 million into St Martin’s Park, a project which was supposed to generate a good return on the local authority’s investment.

Cabinet member for property, Richard Cleaver (Ind - Stamford St John’s), said: “I am aware of concerns over lack of progress on the development of this site, but this week work has started to remove stockpiles of crushed materials ahead of rerouting the overhead power supply underground and other preparatory works.

“This is a significant milestone as we are in advanced talks with interested developers with a view to exchanging contracts.”

In April the council asked the Government for £2.8 million to pay for the clean up of the site.

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