New £8m council depot 'taking shape' for opening

South Kesteven District Council says it plans to take control of the new depot on 30 October

A new £8.8m council depot is "taking shape" ahead of opening, an authority said.

South Kesteven District Council (SKDC) plans to take control of the depot in Turnpike Close, Grantham from contractor Lindum Group on 30 October, with a go-live date scheduled for 1 December.

The authority said it would accommodate a range of services including waste, park maintenance and street cleaning, along with more than 250 staff.

SKDC's cabinet member for property and public engagement, Councillor Richard Cleaver, described the new depot as "future-proofed and sustainable".

Clearance works have begun at the current depot in Alexandra Road, which was built in the 1970s and is at the end of its operational life, a spokesperson said.

The old depot will remain in operation until the handover has taken place and SKDC said it was continuing to assess options for the site's future use.

Work completed so far includes the steel structures for the main depot building and external brickwork.

The roof and external cladding are being added, and joinery work is scheduled in the next few weeks.

The authority said Lindum Group was working on the lorry parking area and work would start on the main car park next.

SKDC said it had allocated £500,000 in addition to the build cost for mobilisation to relocate its services and staff from the existing depot.

Cleaver said the new depot would "improve welfare and working conditions for our brilliant staff".

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