Most of Cumbria uni estate revamp passed 

Plans for a 92-bedroom extra care scheme and a 13-bedroom supported living development at the university’s Lancaster campus can go ahead, but proposals for a 10-storey student accommodation block still await council sign-off. 

The University of Cumbria’s three-part estate redevelopment plan had been deferred by Lancaster City Council earlier this month amid concerns about surface water drainage.

However, less than a month later, the university has won consent for two out of three elements of the project.

The council voted to approve plans to demolish several vacant buildings at the southern end of the Bowerham Road campus near the junction of Coulston Road and Golgotha Road, and the construction of a four-storey extra care development comprising one- and two-bedroom flats. 

The extra care block is to feature roof gardens, communal kitchen and dining areas, on-site treatment rooms, a hairdresser’s, and a games room.  

Meanwhile, two further buildings are to be retained and converted to provide 16 apartments without care provision.  

The flats are to be managed by housing association Progress Housing and would be available for affordable rent, according to the applicant.  

The supported living scheme, which was also given the green light by Lancaster City Council’s planning committee, is to be built on disused tennis courts off Coulston Road.  

The two-storey, L-shaped building is aimed at young adults with learning difficulties.  

Day Architectural designed the schemes and Scalia Planning is the planning consultant. 

The third element of the proposals, which did not return for consideration at Monday’s planning committee meeting, outlines plans to demolish William Thompson Tower, a 10-storey block that can house 165 students.  

A new-build 214-unit accommodation block would replace the tower, under the university’s proposals.