A new affordable housing development on the site of a former hospital in Spalding has been completed.

Longhurst Group has delivered the 36-home Welland Park on the site of the former Welland Hospital in the town.

Made up of two and three-bedroom homes, the development is accessible from Roman Bank and Holbeach Road, and will provide more affordable housing in the area.

Half of the homes were made available for Shared Ownership, with the rest available on an Affordable Rent basis.

Marcus Keys, our Executive Director of Growth and Development, said: “We’re delighted to receive handover of the final batch of homes on this iconic new development.

“Welland Park will help us to meet our vision within our Improving Lives strategy of providing the homes people want, where they’re needed most and we’re delighted to have been able to give local people the opportunity to buy their first home on this development through our Shared Ownership properties.

“We’re proud to have developed such an iconic site within Spalding and with it provide much needed new and affordable housing for this part of Lincolnshire.

“I’d also like to thank our partners at Lindum Group, who’ve worked hard on this development over many months and helped us deliver our plans and help local people realise their home ownership dreams.”

With Welland Park being built on the site of the former Welland Hospital, we were keen to pay homage to the local history, the NHS and the contribution of the nation’s key workers, both past and present.

Two of the road names on the development retain an NHS link, with Bevan Grove – a nod to the founder of the NHS Aneurin Bevan – and Beckingham Close – named after Sylvia Beckingham, the first person to ever be treated by the NHS in 1948 – confirmed as postal addresses.

Marcus added: “It was very important to us to ensure we retained some of the history of the site once the development was finished, so I’m delighted we’ve been able to acknowledge the site’s past by naming the development Welland Park and naming the roads in keeping with the NHS theme.

“I wish everyone who’s living in their new home at Welland Park well.”

Lindum Construction manager Mark Carter said: “All the homes are built using timber frames and the scheme was carefully designed to eliminate flood risks.

“It’s been a pleasure to work with Longhurst Group on this scheme. They’ve been incredibly understanding about the challenges currently faced by the construction industry, which include material and labour shortages and Covid regulations.

“We’re delighted to be here as the final homes are handed over. It completes the regeneration of this site, bringing it back into use by local people.”