Plans to convert former Hills department store in Spalding into church are set to be refused

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• ernievan wrote:

  29/02/2024 19:54

  What a shame that the council came with this decision.
  Would they rather have more gambling shops, that are non retail in town
  What about other retail shops also going to close in the near future., because of a lack of footfall through town ?
  Surely an activity based centre will draw people into town.
  Mothers with babies and small children, who never go to town, will now be in the centre of town, to also explore what Spalding has to offer.
  A youth activity group, will bring young people and parents into town.
  A Chrisitan bookshop, will bring people from outer lying villages and towns to come ,for there is no Christian bookshop nearby at all.
  A place of fellowship open to public and a coffee shop, is always a great place.
  I trust that the councill will reconsider and look carefully at what is thrown out of town. That could be an drawcard for people to come into the town centre.
  The church IS NOT, only a Sunday event . It is a thriving centre of activity throughout the week.
  It will be a positive place with a positive atmosphere changing lives

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  +7
• Claude14 wrote:

  29/02/2024 15:39

  People in this town need to make their minds up. They cannot pick and choose between the type of uses they fancy for disused shops in the town centre because their faces fit and reject others because they don't like the look of them.
  
  This isn't the Wild West, there are planning regulations in place to protect high streets from being taken over, the same as they protect the countryside from being built over everywhere and anywhere.
  
  It would be better if SHDC gave the Lighthouse Church a 99 lease to the South Holland Centre. The SHC is a white elephant and a missive financial burden on the taxpayers of South Holland.
  Yes, it's a nice venue for those who can manage to attend the events. But that is a fraction of the now 100k population of SH. Over 42k properties pay council tax and have to contribute something towards the running costs the loss making SHC, to benefit a very small number of people.
  At some point this millstone will have to be closed down and become potentially turn into an even bigger eyesore than the others you are all complaining about.

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  -6
• Stevecsml1957 wrote:

  29/02/2024 14:42

  How many more empty shops does the town need plus a non existent market, we need something to bring life into the town

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  +8
• Philip Davies wrote:

  29/02/2024 02:37

  I think looking at this objectively, many town centres have a church or the like in their midst so it's not without precedent, though converting a retail outlet into a church probably is novel. And as others have mentioned, the days of the department store are over, people are buying what Hills used to sell on line, cheaper. Hills, like many of its type has gone to the wall and is not coming back, so what sort of business could thrive in such a large building?
  Maybe the fact that business rates are not payable on places of religious worship had an impact on their decision.
  It reminds me of the decision of Pinchbeck parish council years ago to order the removal of new windows in the Bell pub as they weren't in keeping with the area (?) and the owner got fed up, left and the pub has been an eyesore ever since, maybe that was more in keeping?
  If the Council has better ideas for the Hills store then they should share, or is it, as the Pinchbeck Councillors found out, better to have a rotting eyesore in the middle of town than something repurposed.

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  +21
• Tulipking wrote:

  28/02/2024 22:10

  What a mistake.
  
  While I'm not religious it's blatantly obvious to see the fantastic work the lighthouse does in the community and this planning application would allow them to go even further in what they do.
  
  There is literally zero local government services offering what the lighthouse does, and they do it extremely well.
  
  The high street as we know it from 10/20/30 years ago is gone, it's time to change, bringing a community hub so close to town would draw in people to the town.
  
  Like others have stated the building will lie dormant. If we're lucky we might get another discount Poundland/yorkshire trading type of shop that just brings the image of the town down.
  
  I hope the lighthouse appeals this ruling, I will be contacting Sir Hayes and my
  Councillor to object to this decision.

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  +20
• GRUMPYGRAIL wrote:

  28/02/2024 19:41

  Of course it should be allowed and as many empty buildings as possible be brought back to use.As a self employed businessman who would like to open a physical shop but can't because of the ridiculous rent and rates still being charged i will still wait until something changes in the market.please vote for councillors and mps who put people and the town before money

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  +12
• poppysocks wrote:

  28/02/2024 18:31

  Well, going by the imminent opening of the Furniture Warehouse, over 2 floors, I'd say you never know. And there's one certain way not to attract more retail and that's to have even less of it around and about; it's a mutual process for the shops. The old Hills is an anchor site and 'prime' retail of some sort. There are other suitable spaces for the church, still within the town. Around Broadgate House and those other community spaces would be much better, along with accessible parking etc.

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  +7
• Matfodder wrote:

  28/02/2024 13:06

  So we assume that it will now fall to rack and ruin whilst our pillocks at SHDC wait for someone to come and open a shop. Could be a long wait.
  There will very soon be more empty premises than occupied.
  But hey ho

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  +31