PlaceFirst moves forward with second phase of guesthouse refurbs
Lancaster City Council is set to approve the £4.5m conversion of 23 former guesthouses into 45 build-to-rent homes by developer PlaceFirst in Morecambe’s West End.
The first phase of the development was completed in October 2016 and the council said it provided “significant regeneration benefits to the West End of Morecambe.” Following West End One’s success, proposals for West End Two are due to go before Lancaster City Council’s planning committee next Tuesday on the 4 April with a recommendation to approve the plans.
The project, undertaken in partnership with Lancaster City Council, will deliver a mix of two and three bedroom houses and two bedroom apartments on the site bounded by Regent Road, Chatsworth Road, Albert Road, and Balmoral Road. On completion, PlaceFirst will own and operate the properties as part of its portfolio of affordable rental homes.
Subject to planning approval PlaceFirst anticipates starting work on site by summer 2017 and the project will be delivered by PlaceFirst’s in-house construction arm, PlaceFirst Construction. Modern City Architecture & Urbanism designed the project.
Susan Parsonage, Lancaster City Council’s chief executive, said: “The regeneration of Morecambe’s West End is a priority for the council. West End One has already made a huge difference in both changing the perception of the area and its attractiveness to families as a great place to live and the proposals for West End Two provide the potential to build on this success.”
PlaceFirst designs, builds and operates private rental homes and the company is on track to deliver an initial 1,000 units across the North of England. Current schemes include 131 units in Accrington, 90 units in Morecambe, 300 units in Liverpool, 76 units in Hartlepool and 73 units in Leeds.
