Work begins on multi-million pound heritage project

The buildings of 2 to 4 Market Place have stood empty for more than a decade, since the Co-op relocated to a new building in the town and, for the past few years, Caistor & District Community Trust (CDCT) has been fighting hard to raise the money to fund an ambitious £3 million scheme to bring the buildings back to life.

There have been many twists and turns along the way, but now phase one of the project is underway.

Messenger - part of the BCR Group - principal contractor for the project and the team who recently undertook and completed the cutting-edge conservation work at Lincoln Medieval Bishops’ Palace; Greenwood Projects - the firm that has supported 2-4 Market Place from day one with Graham Tait Project Managing, and AnotherKind Architects will be working hand-in-hand with the CDCT to ensure a smooth start to this challenging, yet exciting, scheme of work, as the on-site compound settles into the Market Place for Phase One of the renovations.

While the arrival of the compound has reduced the number of parking spaces available in the town centre, Neil Castle, Company Secretary of the Trust, said the impact on local businesses and residents, as well as visitors, has been fully considered and mitigated by Highways as well as Caistor Town Council.

He said: “It’s understandable that concern has been raised about fewer parking spaces being available in the town centre. To keep as many spaces free as possible, the compound has been thoughtfully constructed and will be decorated in collaboration with the Caistor in Bloom volunteers to feature the work of local artists.

"It has also been agreed that contractors will be parking off-site away from the prime parking locations."

​Supported with principal grants from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, The Architectural Heritage Fund, investment from Community Share Holders and Co-op UK, a Towns Fund grant from West Lindsey District Council, and additional support from The Pilgrim Trust, Caistor Town Council and the Lady Neville Trust, the diverse and vibrant mixed-use development scheme that has been carefully planned out with AnotherKind Architects will include the repair and conservation of the complex of historic buildings, transforming 2-4 Market Place into a space the whole community can be proud of and embrace as their own.

Noted on the building's ‘at risk’ register as needing immediate attention, the restored buildings, in their full glory, will create spaces for retail units, a community space for functions, exhibitions and other community activities, self-catering holiday lets, and – in Phase Two – spaces that can be used as offices or arts-and-crafts business units, storage for local archival materials, as well as a space for the Trust to work from.

As work progresses, hard hat tours will take place, showcasing the history of the buildings, their current state and how this regeneration project will benefit the area in the long term, enhancing what Caistor already has to offer both as a place to live and work as well as a place to visit.

Mr Castle added: “To say we are delighted to see work commencing to breathe life back into these buildings is an understatement. They have for too long stood neglected in our town square.”

"Caistor has seen a boom in business recently, both with new arrivals, as well as those resident businesses that are up-scaling and taking up vacant units, so to be able to further add to this enterprise by providing opportunities for community activities, social space and to help bring additional tourism to the town, is incredibly important to all involved in the 2-4 Market Place project.”

Any businesses keen to register their interest in the retail units, as well as the community space, can do so by filling out a quick form here .