Fourteen proposals in the mix to develop Frontierland site in Morecambe

Fourteen separate proposals are being looked at by the owners of Frontierland as they decide on the future of the site, it has been revealed.

Lancaster City Council said they are considering 14 different expressions of interest from would-be developers of the former fairground in Morecambe.

The council, who bought the derelict Marine Road West site in 2021, said they would not provide any specific details about what each proposal contains, at this stage.

The call for expressions of interest is now closed, and the council will now make a decision on how to proceed with the development of the former Wild West theme park.

The eyesore land (pictured below) has been mainly empty since the fairground closed in 2000 and there have been calls for it to be developed ever since, including two failed attempts to open a shopping park on the site.

Since buying the land from Morrison's for just over £3m, 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 seven proposals in the second - two of which were resubmissions from the first round.

One of the proposals was from Morecambe Town Council.

But on Thursday, the town council decided to pull out of the process, reducing the total number to 14.

Councillor Jim Pilling, a Liberal Democrat on Morecambe Town Council, told Beyond Radio that their idea for the land was "a community asset with indoor and outdoor facilities including parkland, entertainment and educational facilities, play areas and a performance area".

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.

In an open letter to Beyond Radio, Councillor Pilling (pictured below) spoke out against Morecambe Town Council's decision to withdraw their idea for Frontierland.

He was one of three Liberal Democrat councillors who voted against doing so, but were outvoted 16 to 3 after a decision driven by the Morecambe Bay Independent group.

The MBIs opposed the idea of charging Morecambe taxpayers £1m from Council Tax to set up a Frontierland Community Action Fund, which was agreed as part of the town council's budget back in February.

The previous town council administration wanted to set up the fund and a residents forum to give Morecambe people more of a say in the future of the land, and stop it from falling into the hands of housing developers.

The decision led to a 231-237 per cent rise in Morecambe Town Council's share of Council Tax, by far the highest in its 14-year history.

Councillor Pilling, one of the councillors who voted for the tax rise, said he is still worried that housing will end up being built on the former theme park.

"Frontierland has remained a very embarrassing and ugly blot on our landscape for 24 years now," he said.

"It is a severe detriment to our town, especially the West End which in effect, has been cut off from the central area due to the awful blue fencing, resulting in a lack of footfall and investment in the West End.

"With this in mind Morecambe Liberal Democrats proposed that Morecambe Town Council set up a working group with a view to finally sorting the problem out.

"This group was very energetic and consulted widely with the residents to find out their thoughts.

"Over 1600 people responded. It is clear that the residents wish it to be developed as a community asset for the residents and as a complementary tourism offer for visitors to the Eden Project.

"At the moment our town offers little to entertain our visitors. What came through loud and clear that it must not become a housing development.

"Morecambe Town Council submitted its plan for a community asset, with indoor and outdoor facilities including parkland, entertainment and educational facilities, play areas and a performance area. The performance area is vital because, once the Eden Project take over their site, there will be nowhere for the fairground, circus and many festivals to use.

"The scheme won the support of the Eden Project and Lancaster University, both of whom expressed an interest in becoming part of the new development."

The Eden Project Morecambe (artist's impression below) is a new visitor attraction earmarked for Morecambe Promenade. Work is due to begin in 2024 with a targeted opening date of 2026.

"In order to progress the plan the town council levied an extra one-off element to the Council tax to raise a £1m ring fenced 'Community Fund' to be used to leverage much more investment into the scheme," said Councillor Pilling.

"We were hearing very positive responses from the city council and were confident that the idea would be successful.

"Following May’s elections the political makeup of the council changed, with the Morecambe Bay Independents becoming the largest group.

"At Thursday’s council meeting they put forward a motion to withdraw the council’s Expression of Interest in Frontierland and to try to find a way to refund the community fund (which is very problematical to do legally).

"The motion was passed with only the Liberal Democrats voting against. Bizarrely, and shamefully, Labour supported the motion despite having voted for the plan and funding earlier this year.

"I fear that Morecambe Town Council (which was awarded the only Gold Standard council award in Lancashire a few months ago) will now revert to being a do-nothing, failing body, which usually happens when the Morecambe Bay Independents or Labour is in the majority.

"Over the last two years Morecambe Town Council has improved dramatically. It has taken over the District’s weeding service, and our towns are looking much better than for several years. Street Rangers have begun to make a huge difference to the problem of fly-tipping with obviously much more to do. Two record breaking Picnic on the Proms were organised which gave our town very high profile national publicity. The amazing Mars exhibition was displayed in the Winter Gardens in November and lots of community groups have been supported by the council.

"This kind of service has never been delivered by the council in the past when it was either Morecambe Bay Independents or Labour in control.

"The residents of Morecambe (particularly in the West End) will have to live with whatever is built on Frontierland for at least two generations, so it is vital that we get it right. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity to provide a community asset, and increase our tourism offer which is desperately needed. Alas, at this moment it is looking like it will become predominantly a housing estate.

"If you wish to express your opinions on the decision taken by the Morecambe Bay Independents and Labour on Thursday night regarding Frontierland then I urge you to contact them directly and let them know what you think about them.

"This is your town and you need to use your voice to influence the decisions that are being taken on your behalf."

On Thursday, 13 MBI councillors (Geoff Knight, Martin Bottoms, Clark Kent, Roger Dennison, Brett Cooper, Jackie Rogerson, Dan Blacow, Lee Bradbury, Russell Walsh, Keri Gee, Wayne Dixon, Debbie Knight and Jason Slater), two Labour (John Hanson and David Whitaker) and one independent (Patricia Clarke) voted to pull out of the race to develop Frontierland and take legal advice to look for a way to recompense Morecambe taxpayers after raising the £1m 'Frontierland tax'.

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

Councillor Pilling and his Lib Dem colleagues Paul Hart and John Livermore voted against.

Two of the three councillors who voted with the MBIs on Thursday, Labour councillor David Whitaker and independent councillor Patricia Clarke, had voted for the budget and the massive tax rise, five months previously.

Beyond Radio asked Councillor Clarke (pictured below) to explain the reason for her vote on Thursday.

"It's because the people I represent said the Council Tax precept was so high," she said.

"I didn't realise it would be as high as it was. I only thought it would be a few pounds a year.

"Quite a few residents accepted it, but there were people who didn't like it one bit. I have sided with them.

"You have to listen to people who voted you in, rather than go with your own ideas.

"We were going to lose the vote anyway, if I had voted with (the Lib Dems).

"I will be sad if Frontierland ends up as a housing estate, but I have been assured it won't be housing. I wouldn't be against a hotel.

"Lancaster City Council are going to do what they want to do anyway, at the end of the day."

Councillor Whitaker (pictured below) said: "I did support this motion because fresh financial facts came to light following the vote in February which were not clearly presented to us at the budget meeting in relation to the implications of the rise. It was a lot higher than we were told.

"We have to be realistic about what Morecambe Town Council can do on this site however we do want to be consulted by Lancaster City Council and in doing so work with them to achieve the best outcome in accordance with best interests of the people of Morecambe and in doing so we will be duly obtaining legal guidance in regard to where we go with the funds that were obtained for this project."

Councillor Geoff Knight, of the Morecambe Bay Independents (pictured below), proposed the motion on Thursday for Morecambe Town Council to pull out of the race to develop the land.

His motion called for 'Morecambe Town Council to "withdraw its expression of interest in the former Frontierland site" and for the town council's proper officer Luke Trevaskis to "write to the leader of Lancaster City Council to confirm this decision".

It also asked that the town council be "kept informed by Lancaster City Council on any aspects of redevelopment of the former Frontierland site" and "reiterated our objection to any housing on this site".

The motion also said that the town council should take "legal advice regarding the reallocation of funds which were raised for the community fund".

"It was an admirable thought by the previous administration to get involved in the regeneration of Frontierland, but it was a huge mistake asking for that (Council Tax) precept," said Councillor Knight.

"It was one of the biggest complaints we had at the polling stations on polling day.

"I don't think we need to have a financial commitment into that site.

"It's wrong that Morecambe Town Council use council tax payers money again to actually repurpose land on that site because we already own it.

"We have made enquiries about the reuse of the £1m that was raised on the Morecambe Town Council precept.

"It's quite clear we need legal advice before we reallocate that money.

"The first question I asked was, can that money be refunded to council taxpayers?

"The advice I've had from Lancaster City Council is there is no mechanism for refunding that money and that an alternative mechanism has to be sought.

"So we'll take legal advice on that so we don't end up in a Crinkley Bottom scenario.

"We will have a look at what we can do with that £1m and if there is any way we can reimburse that to the council taxpayers, we will certainly do our best to return that money."

David Morris, Conservative MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale (pictured below), also opposed the high tax rise and earlier this year, called for a Westminster probe into the town council.

Mr Morris sent letters to Morecambe residents last week, asking for their views on the Council Tax rise.

We have approached Mr Morris for comment.

Speaking to Beyond Radio in May, Councillor Phillip Black of Labour, leader of Lancaster City Council, said he was "keen to take stock of the community position" on Frontierland.

"Before we rush ahead with any plans we need a steer from the community to make sure that it's really delivering," said Councillor Black.

"It's a prime piece of real estate in Morecambe. It's close to the proposed site for Eden. I think it's really important that what goes there is done right, and it also does have to return on the investment that the city council made in it."

For the background to this story, read more here: 

Morecambe Town Council to raise £1m from taxpayers in attempt to acquire Frontierland - Beyond Radio

Morecambe councillor calls for U-turn on controversial 'Frontierland tax' - Beyond Radio

Frontierland site not up for sale says council leader as tax controversy rumbles on - Beyond Radio

Morecambe MP calls for government investigation into £1m 'Frontierland tax' - Beyond Radio

Morecambe Town Council hits back after MP rips into 'Frontierland tax' rise in Westminster speech - Beyond Radio

Row over Frontierland rumbles on as Morecambe councillor labels tax rise "disgusting" - Beyond Radio

INTERVIEW: New council leader wants to see results on Frontierland, Eden Project and Canal Quarter - Beyond Radio