Final remediation phase lined up for 800-home Marina Village
The last 20 acres of the strategic Barrow site are ready to be spruced up to make way for hundreds of homes, provided Westmorland and Furness Council approves the project’s latest application.
The council’s strategic planning committee will meet next Wednesday to discuss the next stage of authority-led Marina Village scheme, which has been recommended for approval by planning officers.
Situated on 67 acres of the Barrow waterfront, Marina Village has been earmarked for 800 homes. This is more than a third of the total allocated housing for the borough up to 2031. The scheme has received £24.8m in grants from Homes England courtesy of a deal in January of last year. This deal led to the increased housing allocation from 650 to the current 800 figure.
The application on the upcoming committee agenda would enable the clearing of the former Furness Railway Workings Train Depot and Vulcan Street Forge Works.
In addition to demolishing the current structures on the site, the proposal would allow for remediating contaminated areas, relocating protected species, and realigning Cavendish Dock Road. In realigning the road a combined footway and cycleway would be created on both sides, providing active travel links from the site to the Bay Cycle Way.
Marina Village has been labelled as an opportunity site for more than 20 years by the authority and its predecessor, Barrow-in-Furness Council. However, it is only in the past few years that it has gathered steam.
Work on the remediation of the first 15 acres finished in November 2023. Redstart Northwest began the second phase of enabling works in April.
That same month saw the approval of a supplementary planning document for the site.
“Unlocking this former industrial land and seeing it transformed into a thriving residential community in the centre of Barrow is one of the council’s biggest schemes and tremendously important for the town, Westmorland and Furness, and beyond,” said Cllr Virgina Taylor, cabinet member for housing and community safety, at the time.
When remediation completes, the council will look to appoint a master developer for the site.
Why French “Marina Village”. Why not a Ton or a Ham or even a By. Why French? There is not a local place in Westmoorland or Furness called a “Village”. Us Norse/Northern English not “posh” enuf? They, whoever they are, will be calling the Dales as “Valleys” and the Fells as “Mountains” next, or the whole place “Cumbria” whatever that is. And, by the way, the English name for a French “Marina” is a “Yacht Haven”. Do you agree this is a very important comment? Call it Barrow Yacht Haven? End of discussion.
By Anonymous
Welcome back, Julia !
By PLF_Cloud_Cuckoo_Land
I dont remember the people of Barrow being consulted about the name of this important development and Marina Village is just tacky. Barrow is not a seaside town it just happens to be a town by the sea and a famous one as well. I think it should reflect where it is and what it used to be Salthouse Mills would be a unique title in itself and to incorporate other names into the roads , avenues streets would ensure that the history of the area lives on. I hope we are asked to submit names for these areas when the time comes. It will be a wonderful development when completed and a real asset to the town. I hope that the sandstone buildings on the Strand can be saved in some way as well.
By Anon
These houses will be expensive next to a water front. plus packed in like Sardines won’t be enough space to swing a cat.
By Allan foster
Way too long its never gona happen in the nxt decade
By Anonymous
So the original 0lan of a proper marina village, with bars restaurants and places to berth boats has been binned in favour of more houses? No doubt to home all the people being kicked out of hotels and jumping the waiting list over locals who have been waiting years!
How about looking after the local community first?
By John
The sandstone buildings on the strand need to go. They are a disgrace
By Anonymous
What about where the old train sheds there is is alot blue and white asptostos so. You can not build on the land
By Bernard Wakefield
BAE expansion is happening so money money!! There’ll throw these sub standard houses in minutes thts progress!!.
By Ian
Why on earth call it Marina Village….Ramsden Way or similar would be more appropriate?,
By Concerned
@July 02, 2025 at 7:03 pm By Anonymous, English is made up of many words from other languages so your point about the word Marina doesn’t really make sense. The chosen name its self, I agree is very generic and should be called something more local and relevant, such as the suggested Salthouse Mills name.
By GetItBuilt!
Well done, a ‘Brown Field Site’ has been found. Keep looking. They’re out there somewhere. Stop looking at the ‘Green Belt’ or the UK will end up being a ‘Desert’. That, among Global Warming, is the reason why the UK’s hot.
By Evie