Lancaster set to approve 129 former Green Belt homes

Oakmere Homes’ plans for the land off Fulwood Drive in Morecambe will be considered by the city council’s planning committee next Tuesday.

The housebuilder is seeking outline permission to deliver 129 homes, featuring a mix of one- to five-bedroom houses and apartments.

Currently, the site is designated as key urban landscape and open countryside in Lancaster City Council’s local plan. Prior to the plan’s adoption in 2020, the site had been allocated as Green Belt.

Oakmere originally planned to build 140 homes on the plot, however, this was revised following discussions with the city council.

The scheme went to committee last month, however the decision was deferred to allow for an investigation of alternative access to the site in order to minimise the impact of construction traffic.

A total of 157 objections have been received as a result of the application with concerns raised around flood risk, highways impact, and noise from the nearby railway line, among others.

A council report argues that these concerns are outweighed by the public benefits such as the increase in household spending and the support that local businesses and facilities would receive.

The city council is tipped to approve the project.

To find out more about the plans, search for application number 21/01341/OUT on Lancaster City Council’s planning portal.

Elsewhere in Lancaster, Oakmere was granted outline planning permission last month for 23 homes in Arkholme.