Mystery of 'abandoned' housing project which Gainsborough residents say is awful to live near
Gainsborough residents say an unfinished housing development where no work has happened in years has become a magnet for flytipping and arson.
The site on Lea Road in Gainsborough was supposed to provide hundreds of riverside apartments – but instead the half-complete properties have been branded an eyesore.
West Lindsey District Council has attempted to work with the developer to get the project finished.
There’s now speculation that the site along the River Trent may have been sold to a new owner, raising hope that builders could at last get back to work.
A resident who lives directly opposite the project said: “It will be three years in February since there was last work happening.
“They were going for 18 months and slowed down over the winter – then one day it just stopped, and they never came back. We’ve never been told properly why.
“It would be great if they could finish it off, but I’ll believe it when I see it after this long.
“It’s awful looking at it every day. There’s a lot of flytipping, which kids set on fire.
“There was some machinery there when work stopped, and that was set on fire too. I’ve lost count of how many times the fire brigade has been out.”
The original application for 220 apartments and five shops or restaurants was submitted by Leonard Wright Investments, which has been contacted for comment.
Two blocks of half-completed flats without roofs can be seen on the site, along with the foundations of a third.
The land was recently put up for auction by a receiver with Savills, which typically manages assets after a borrower defaults on a loan, but the lot was withdrawn on the day of the sale.
The council is now trying to determine if there is a new owner, with hopes this could be a “catalyst” to get the project moving again.
Speaking at a council meeting on Monday, February 2, leader Councillor Jackie Brockway said: “We have consistently attempted to engage with the owners, and our enforcement position is regularly under review.
“We are seeking to establish if there’s a new owner of the site. Once we understand, we will engage to understand their objections and make them aware of what we require with regards to the land.
“We can all agree that the development of this site would bring great benefits for the surrounding area, and hope a change in ownership will be the catalyst for this.”
Gainsborough Councillor Trevor Young labelled the unfinished project an “absolute eyesore” which was “adversely affecting local residents and deterring further investment in the town.”
The council has served a community protection notice on the site in 2024 due to persistent flytipping at the entrance, and another notice to clear the overgrown vegetation.
It says it will review its options if building work doesn’t resume.