Vote to tarmac over Red Lion Square successful, but original plans will still go ahead
The redevelopment of the square's cobblestones will begin in the summer
Last updated 4th Feb 2022
Plans to replace Red Lion Square's cobblestones with better sets will go ahead, despite Stamford Town Council voting to tarmac over them instead.
The plans are set to begin in summer this year, and will see the current paving setts replaced with more durable ones that are easier to maintain.
The £1.4m redevelopment, funded by Lincolnshire County Council, aims to make the surface of the square more robust, increase its safety and maintain the heritage look.
But the proposals have been met with local pushback, with Stamford Town Council voting heavily in favour of tarmacking over the square by 14 votes to 5, with 1 abstention.
Richard Davies, portfolio holder for highways at Lincolnshire County Council, says any decision to take away the cobblestone setts is the wrong one:
"Faced with a prospect of going back from what we have now - from setts, back to tarmac - in the UKs first conservation town, in this most beautiful location in the county and in the town, I think would be a retrograde step and I think the bigger picture is we have to keep Stamford looking its absolute best.
"I genuinely challenge anybody to say that, having stood in a historic market town such as Stamford, one of the most idyllic towns in the country, and say we need to pull up the cobbles and put down tarmac is the best thing for the town - I'm sorry, I don't agree and Lincolnshire County Council aren't going to be party to that."