A bid to have part of Grantham designated as a conservation area has been successful.
South Kesteven District Council has created the Grantham St Anne’s Conservation Area following 12 months of campaigning by local pressure group Conserving Grantham.
The Conservation Area covers a swathe of the town east of the River Witham from Wyndham Park to Harrowby Road. It takes in New Beacon Road, including the Norman Leys arts and crafts building, the church hall on Harrowby Road, and the junction with Granville Street to include the Lord Harrowby pub. It also includes Sandon Road with the Kesteven and Grantham Girls’ School, St Mary’s RC School, Grantham College and The Old Barracks. Parts of Dudley Road, including Dudley House School, St Catherine’s Road and Stonebridge Road are also included.
Members of Conserving Grantham say they are delighted by the move but the couuncil could have acted more quickly.
Member Charmaine Morgan said: “It is really good news so many local people supported our application to protect Grantham’s Victorian heritage. It is just so frustrating that our town has to lose landmark buildings, Shirley Croft Hotel and St Catherine’s House, before the council took action. We still have much work to do with other parts of the town, including the Victorian St John’s area, built to accommodate the railworkers and campaigning to protect our vulnerable wildlife habitat. Protecting our town’s natural and built heritage is important. It will not only conserve what we have but also provide opportunities for tourism and economic development in the future.”
A conservation area helps to ensure that natural features, heritage and buildings of historical interest are safeguarded. This may mean permission is needed from the local authority to make changes to any of these features.
Conserving Grantham members have applied for a larger Conservation Area in St Anne’s likely to be delivered in a phased approach by SKDC. They aim to protect more areas of Grantham from insensitive development including the area around the River Witham and the unique Victorian Street scenes around Dysart Park and Universities Square.
A map of the area can be seen at the council in St Peter’s Hill or go to www.southkesteven.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=8469&p=0