New £3.5m gritting depot being considered

Lincolnshire County Council's current highways depot in Sturton by Stow has been described as "old and dated"

An "old and outdated" gritting depot could be replaced as part of a multi-million pound plan.

The facility at Sturton by Stow has a salt barn that holds only 1,500 tonnes compared to modern barns that hold 4,500.

Lincolnshire County Council is considering closing the facility, which operates a fleet of seven gritters, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Proposals include selling the existing site, which is surrounded by a housing estate, to property developers, which would potentially bring in £1.1m and reduce the required capital investment to approximately £2.2m.

It is set to be recommended by the Highways Scrutiny Panel on July 29.

The report to the committee said the depot and its outbuildings were “old and dated,” and needed extensive investment to restore them.

Exploring a new site in Lincolnshire could be a more cost-effective solution, it said.

Councillors have been considering locations in Lincoln, West Lindsey and North Kesteven.

Despite the new salt barn being three times the size of the current one, it has been predicted that it would save £20,000 on maintenance costs and a further £19,000 due to the reduced need for mid-season restocks of grit salt.

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