New highways depots for county?

The proposal includes selling the existing site, surrounded by a new housing estate, to property developers, potentially bringing in £1.1 million and reducing the required capital investment to approximately £2.2 million.

Set to be recommended by the Highways Scrutiny Panel on July 29, the officer report highlights that the Sturton by Stow depot and its outbuildings are “old and dated,” necessitating extensive investment to restore them to full working order. Instead, exploring a new site in Lincolnshire could be a more cost-effective solution.

Councillors have been exploring potential sites across Lincolnshire, including Lincoln, West Lindsey, and North Kesteven districts. The current Sturton by Stow site, one of eight operational depots, operates a fleet of seven gritter lorries but has a salt barn that holds only 1,500 tonnes compared to modern barns that hold 4,500 tonnes. With the salt barn nearing the end of its shelf life, the council sees this as an opportune time to relocate.

Despite the new salt barn being three times the size of the current one, annual savings of £19,000 are predicted due to the reduced need for mid-season restocks of grit salt, and a further £20,000 on property maintenance.

Another part of the proposal involves acquiring a leased unit at Pride Parkway in Sleaford, eliminating reliance on the private sector. This deal, evaluated at £375,000, would transfer the site from North Kesteven District Council to the county council, which currently pays £61,600 a year in rent with the lease expiring in 2025. An additional £100,000 investment would bring the total cost for this part of the scheme to around £475,000, payable over eight years.

Planning applications for these proposed developments will be revealed in line with the purchase agreements for the sites, with a decision expected between August 5-9.