Homes England hits roadblock on 250 Lancaster homes

After nearly seven years of back-and-forth between statutory consultees and planning officers, the government’s housing and regeneration agency saw its plans to build residences on the former Lodge Quarry Works rejected on Monday.

Lancaster City Council voted to refuse the application for 250 homes by Carnforth, going against officer recommendation in the process.

While the official ground for refusal was listed as biodiversity impacts (the project only accounted for a 1% net gain), it is understood that the planning committee’s meeting included discussions regarding the negative impact the housing development would have on Carnforth Rangers Football Club’s adjacent grounds, a canal-side marina, and traffic.

The city council’s own planning officers had recommended the project for approval, noting that it would provide much-needed housing. The officers noted in their report that the city council can only demonstrate a 2.8-year housing supply, far short of the five years required. The site is also allocated for up to 250 homes in the city council’s local plan.

Homes England’s plans for the 31-acre site of Kellet Road were validated in the summer of 2019, after the government agency acquired the plot from Redrow Homes. Redrow Homes had earned planning permission to build up to 200 homes on the site, but had failed to enact it.

Since 2019, there has been considerable discussion between Homes England, the city council, and statutory consultees regarding site capacity, flood risk, and the impact on Carnforth Rangers FC’s grounds, with amendments made throughout the seven-year period – including the addition of a 60-space car and coach park for the football club and a 30-metre buffer between the housing development the club’s Quarry Park playing pitch.

Homes England’s indicative housing mix for the site comprised 41 two-bed homes, 110 three-bed houses, 72 four-bed residences, and 27 one- and two-bed flats. Of the 250 proposed, 20% would be designated as affordable.

The project team consisted of Broadway Malyan, Nexus Planning, and WSP. To learn more about the application search reference 19/00541/OUT on Lancaster City Council’s planning portal.