Former ambulance station set to become new town centre car park

The disused site on Kesteven Street was bought by North Kesteven District Council last year.

Until recent years it served as the base for East Midlands Ambulance Service’s paramedics and emergency vehicles until they relocated to shared premises with Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue on Eastgate, but concerns were raised about the old building becoming an anti-social behaviour hotspot after its closure.

Plans will be discussed by the council’s Executive on Thursday (March 27) to turn it into more car parking for the town centre which has been in demand by locals after recent closures of the Market Place to cars and the privately-owned Southgate car park. There are also plans to resurface Eastgate car park over the summer, taking it out of action for some time.

Its fees would be priced slightly cheaper than the neighbouring Eastgate car park to attract drivers before they entered the town’s busy one-way system.

It would be free for up to one hour, and charge £1.50 for up to three hours and £3.50 for any longer.

Parking on Sundays, Bank Holidays and evenings between 6pm and 8am would be free.

If the proposal is agreed, plans to demolish the existing buildings will be drawn up at a later date along with costs and potential funding sources for the preparation work, legal notices and enforcement arrangements. A new parking ticket machine has been ordered using UK Shared Prosperity Fund money in anticipation of the move, but cashless phone/app payments would also be offered.

The council hasn’t determined yet how many parking spaces could be created at the site, which is next to the building housing their own headquarters, Sleaford Job Centre and the register office.

A council report says: “The newly purchased site provides an opportunity to provide much called-for perimeter parking off one of the town’s main arterial routes, close to Sleaford town centre and the NKDC offices.”

It adds that the car park “can serve vehicles prior to them entering the one-way system and therefore helping to address congestion and car dominance of the centre.

“There are public perceptions and concerns around parking availability in Sleaford and therefore making the site available as soon as possible is thought a practical way to alleviate any possible concerns as well as providing a timely source of income generation.”

The report states that, if approved, the opening of the car park will generate additional income to the council.

The report mentions that there are other possible uses for the site, but these are limited by contamination from years of storing fuel and vehicles.

The council has previously held discussions with Lincolnshire County Council about whether another public service could use their demolished site, which includes several disused buildings, through lease arrangement, in conjunction with the EMAS site to enable a short/medium term parking solution for Sleaford.

The report says feasibility for further increased central car parking provision in this locality to meet the needs of Sleaford residents and visitors is being explored by officers and a further report will be prepared on this as part of the authority’s renewed car parking strategy.

In 2020, it was reported that locals were unhappy with drug use and anti-social behaviour at the old building, with some calling for it to be torn down.