Plans are helping to '˜build a future' for Louth Cattle Market

It follows an application to East Lindsey District Council, which asks for an environmental impact assessment into a change of use for the facility — one of the first stages before a formal application is made.

The application notes that Louth Market Auctioneers, with the backing of Masons Chartered Surveyors, wants to use the market as space for ‘retail, a cafe, offices, parking of vehicles, training and cinema, concert hall, theatre, and a hand car wash in addition to the existing livestock market’.

It follows ELDC’s decision last year not to follow through on plans to sell the site and instead refurbish the site to be used for a ‘broader range of purposes’.

Russell Jeanes, from Masons, said organisers were looking to make the facility sustainable, and the plans would cover a wide range of uses.

He said: “The general gist of it is an accordance with the council’s decision to keep the market and we’re looking at alternative opportunities to increase the income stream for the council and ourselves.

“We’re looking at all possibilities really and the net of the planning application is to have quite a wide variety of potential opportunities.”

He said the organisers had already held one-off events including car boot sales and orienteering events.

“It’s little things like that which are building the future and building opportunities along the way,” he added.

Campaign group Keep Louth Special supported the plans, with a spokesman this afternoon (Wednesday) saying: “These look like imaginative ideas to make the best of this site, and have our full support. After fighting to avoid the closure of Lincolnshire’s last cattle market and to preserve the distinctive nature of the traditional town centre, we are happy to back a plan which adds to the attractions of the town.”

ELDC recently submitted its own outline designs to replace the external wall and roof cladding and put an external water tank on the site, as well as new signage on the building and entrance doors.

The site was recently visited by HRH Prince Charles as he toured a number of Lincolnshire sites.

Work has already taken place to improve the nearby Boar’s Head pub.