For more images of Sleaford Maltings (past, present and planned), click here.
The Design
The design is led by the principles of careful conservation and creative reuse. The Maltings were designed as a huge machine for converting barley to malt, ready for the brewing process. The buildings are robust and beautifully crafted, and conservation will allow future generations to see how the process worked. The buildings will be altered to allow viable new uses. The vision is to make a new place that is a great to live, work and play in, while keeping its historic qualities.
The malthouse blocks to the east were worst hit by the fire. The tall blocks on the southern boundary will be repaired and reinstated, so that the long views of the group of buildings are preserved. Parts of the fire-damaged blocks, hidden in the centre of the complex, will be carefully removed to create new public courtyards. These will bring light and sunny spaces for people to appreciate the historic buildings close up.
Gladedale’s proposals consist of conversion of the malthouse blocks to offices, apartments and a new health village including a GP surgery and chemist. Space for a bar and restaurant, which will open onto the new courtyards, is planned. The conversion works will retain as much of the historic features as possible and the block for offices will remain undivided and will retain the original industrial workings.
To provide sufficient car parking space close to the offices and apartments, two of the malthouses will be converted to car parks. This has the advantage of screening most of the cars from view. There will be drop off and parking to the perimeter of the blocks, but the alleys and new courtyards will be kept clear of cars. The remaining car parking will be within a decked car park to the east, which will be screened by earth mounds.
It has taken years of planning and working in partnership to get to this stage. With Gladedales’s commitment and vision to redevelop the buildings, the creation of a revitalised Maltings is closer than ever.
Ecology
Ecological surveys have been carried out at The Maltings as part of an Environmental Impact Assessment. Statutory organisations and local wildlife groups have been contacted to obtain records of protected species and designated ecological sites on the site and nearby. The buildings support a range of protected species. These include eight species of bat protected by European and UK legislation, 12 species of birds listed on Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, ten “red listed” bird species identified as globally threatened by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources and seven bird species listed on the UK Biodiversity Action Plan.
The project team is developing a strategy in consultation with Natural England to ensure that impacts on protected species are avoided or minimised during the construction and that measures are put in place to safeguard the biodiversity of the site in the long-term. These include:
- Timing construction to minimise the risk of disturbance of protected species;
- Keeping the pond and surrounding vegetation
- Providing bird and bat nesting boxes
- Planting new plants to support existing species and encourage biodiversity
