The full report on this engagement exercise can be found here: Final Grantham frontage engagement report
Various engagement methods were used, including media, social media, emails, survey and public meetings (both online and in person), with a substantial reach of invitation to be involved.
680 people took part directly, and more than 300 people provided their contact details because they were interested in continuing to engage in this process, with several offering strategic, community and charity business intelligence as well as practical project support.
There were several overarching themes that emerged from this public engagement exercise:
Preservation vs. modernisation:
- Façade preservation: Strong desire to preserve the building’s façade while modernising the rest
- Architectural significance: Admiration for the building’s historical and architectural value
- Desire to preserve the building’s historical integrity using appropriate materials.
Site use:
- Overall, there were many suggestions for future use. The more dominant suggestions related to desire for clinical healthcare services, non-clinical health care facilitates, and multi-purpose community rooms above commercial or non-commercial use. The overarching reasons were historical relevance, local health need, accessibility, as well as economic benefits these site uses would bring.
Financial and practical considerations:
- Renovation costs: Concerns were acknowledged about high renovation costs and the need for financially viable and practical solutions.
- Neglect by the Trust: There was a lot of frustration aired over perceived neglect by the Trust and some people also thought that this had contributed to high costs of renovation and limited restoration options.
Community sentiment:
- Emotional attachment: It is evident from the information shared that there is much emotional connection with this building, many people have a keen desire for its renovation one way or another.
Conclusion
Overall, public opinion from this engagement exercise indicated that maintaining the status quo is not desired. Many were opposed demolishing the buildings due to their historical significance, some advocating for its preservation and repurposing.
While acknowledging the challenges, some respondents suggested that development would require extensive planning, involvement of local councils and stakeholders, and significant investment.
However, to address concerns, some people suggested preserving the façade while modernising the rest by creating a sympathetic and sustainable resource. There was a clear desire for ongoing engagement, with assurances needed that any decisions made will reflect community input.
Next steps
Now we have this feedback from the community in Grantham, the next step will be to progress with a use and design process.
At present, funding has not been secured for any development on the site and the options for the use of the buildings have not been fully explored, therefore the next steps and timescales are outlined below:
- Narrow down a list of options for uses of the building (to a shortlist of 3-4)
- Explore funding options, including working with external providers to scope possibilities as well as exploring national, local and charitable funding streams
- Utilise the estates capital design fund to appoint an architect to provide options as to what a new building could look
- Both the use and design then be re-presented to the community for a further public engagement exercise, by the end of 2025