A road will be closed in Grantham from 8th January 2022 to allow for repairs to a Grade II listed building which is part of The King’s School.
Castlegate will be shut to traffic until at least April while several roof elevations at The King’s School are stripped and replaced.
This work is essential to preserve the historic 17th Century building, which is at risk of dilapidation from a leaking roof.
Castlegate road will be closed while scaffolding is installed to allow safe access to the roof No 1 and 2 Church Street.
Lindum Group is working with heritage officers and highways officials to ensure the original roof tiles and timber frame are sensitively restored.
Contracts manager Neil McDonnell said: “This is a significant building in Grantham and is currently unusable because water is getting in through the roof causing damage to the first-floor rooms.
“The only way we can safely access one area of the building is by installing scaffolding on the highway in Castlegate. We will keep pedestrian access open and people will still be able to access the National Trust’s Grantham House property, but we will need to temporarily divert cars.
“The diversion will be about a mile long but it will obviously impact on journey times as it will be through the town centre.”
The construction work will involve stripping off the roof tiles and then working with heritage experts to salvage and reuse as much original material as possible. Specialists will then assess the condition of the wooden frame underneath and either restore or replace it.
Neil added: “Lindum is managing the project and we are working with expert subcontractors to ensure we closely follow conservation advice.
“We have a good relationship with The King’s School and have worked on its site many times before. We understand how the school is woven into the history of Grantham and its buildings are an important part of the town’s heritage.
“While the diversion may be frustrating for some people, we will do our best to complete the work and make sure this building is protected for generations to come.”
Simon Pickett, Head Master of The King’s School, added “This beautiful historic building is desperately in need of this roof restoration which has been delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We hope the local community will understand the necessity of closing Castlegate for this period to enable this overdue maintenance.
“The King’s School is committed to maintaining and preserving the historic buildings which form part of our school estate to ensure their future use.”
