Cabinet set for talks on next steps for Frontierland

Wednesday, 6 September 2023 10:28

By Greg Lambert @greglam72

The boarded-up Frontierland site in Morecambe

Councillors are set for talks to decide the next steps for the Frontierland site.

Members of the Lancaster City Council cabinet will discuss plans for the former theme park at their meeting on Tuesday September 12.

The talks are expected to be closed to the press and public, as they could involve the possible disclosure of exempt information as defined in the Local Government Act.

Cabinet members will be asked to establish a project board to oversee an overall vision for the site.

If agreed, one of the first orders of business for the project board will be to consult the public and stakeholders to draw-up a set of high-level objectives for the land.

This vision will then help to source a preferred developer partner to draw-up proposals for how the former funfair will help to transform the local economy.

Beyond Radio revealed in July that 14 separate proposals had been received by the council as they decide on the future of the Marine Road West site.

As yet, no specific details about what each proposal contains have been revealed.

The eyesore site has been mainly derelict since the Wild West-themed fairground closed more than 20 years ago.

Since buying the land from Morrison's for just over £3m in 2021, Lancaster City Council has twice called for potential developers of the site to come forward with ideas.

They received 10 expressions of interest in the first round of submissions, then eight proposals in the second - two of which were resubmissions from the first round.

Lancaster City Council has said that most of the expressions of interest in the first round of bids were housing-led, with a hotel and leisure component.

The city council then asked specifically for leisure-based proposals in the second round.

It is understood that the council will be looking mainly at these eight proposals.

Morecambe Town Council, who had put forward an idea including parkland, entertainment and educational facilities, play areas and a performance area, have withdrawn their interest in developing the land.

For the background to this, see the stories below.

Morecambe Town Council makes bombshell U-turn on Frontierland plan - Beyond Radio

Lancaster City Council cabinet consists of council leader Phillip Black, his Labour colleagues Jean Parr, Jason Wood, Catherine Potter and Joanne Ainscough. Green group leader Gina Dowding and her colleagues council deputy leader Caroline Jackson, Tim Hamilton-Cox and Nick Wilkinson, and local Lib Dem leader Peter Jackson.

“The Frontierland site has been the subject of concern by both the council and the wider community for a number of years, but it is also an opportunity that can be used to help the town reinvent itself and build a better future for its residents," said Councillor Black.

"By setting up a small project board that’s wholly focussed on redeveloping the site we will drive forward plans quicker and more effectively than might otherwise be the case, and I am confident that my fellow cabinet members will support the proposals on Tuesday.

“We will then immediately start looking at how we consult with the public and our stakeholders to ensure the final vision for the site reflects the views of the local community.”

The cabinet meeting will be held at Morecambe Town Hall and starts at 6pm.