Time is running out to have your say on a new masterplan for Lancaster’s Canal Quarter.
Lancaster’s Canal Quarter covers around six acres of land, immediately to the east of the city centre, and the plans include 580 new homes, retail units, new pedestrianised zones and two new public squares.
A range of visuals are now available to view, to give people a snapshot of how the masterplan aims to create a vibrant and sustainable mixed-use neighbourhood with a mix of approximately 580 rentable and private homes. They would have their own amenity space as well as semi-private communal spaces.
Safe pedestrian and cycle friendly streets would provide new pedestrian access to Lancaster Canal and surrounding areas are also part of the plan with plenty of non-residential space for business, retail, food and beverage opportunities.
The masterplan also introduces two new public squares to provide lively social spaces for events along a new Brewery Street.
Anyone can now view the masterplan, related presentations and comment on the proposals at www.lancaster.gov.uk/canal-quarter. The deadline for feedback is this Friday, October 28.
The presentation boards can also be viewed in Lancaster Town Hall between 9am and 1pm (weekdays) up until Friday.
Councillor Gina Dowding, cabinet member for planning and place making, said: “Sunday’s event was a great opportunity to find out what people think about the proposals to regenerate this important site which has remained derelict for far too long.
“Not only does the masterplan enable us to breathe new life into this neglected area which sits close to Lancaster’s cultural, historical and leisure amenities, but also enables us to provide local people and families with a much-needed source of affordable quality homes.
“If you couldn’t attend the event, I would urge people to take advantage of the further opportunity to help shape the future of this site.”
While the vision covers the entire site, only part of it is in the ownership of the city council.
The council is in the process of a detailed review of whether it can take a role in direct delivery of housing on part of its own land, delivering affordable properties at affordable and social rent and shared ownership.
It is also working with the major private land interests and key government agencies, such as Homes England, to find solutions to overcome viability challenges.
The current economic turbulence presents challenges, but the masterplan is focussed on bringing certainty to the desired outcome and shape of development.
It’s envisaged that sites will be brought forward in phases as funding opportunities become available and delivery arrangements settled.
Meanwhile, Lancaster Civic Vision (LCV) has welcomed the publication of the plans.
LCV say they were encouraged by the scale and ambition articulated and reassured by the commitment to protect and build upon the existing heritage, townscape, and landscape assets of the area. They are also impressed by the depth of analysis underpinning the proposals and are pleased to see a commitment to the highest standards of design and energy efficiency.
They now welcome and generally support the emerging Masterplan and the four design principles it is based upon.
However, Civic Vision say they remain concerned about the lack of specificity or commitment to the provision of social housing within the Canal Quarter Masterplan.
A spokesperson for LCV said: ‘’The need for more social housing was evidenced in the recent Homes Strategy which highlighted that in excess of 6,000 households in the district require affordable housing.
‘’The Masterplan highlights the St. Leonards Gate area as a site for new housing and states that the Housing Team are currently developing options for the area and continues that the options explored incorporate the latest comments from members engagement. Six points are listed all of which relate to house type, massing, scale, and landscaping etc. No mention is made of housing tenure!
‘’We are also concerned that the views of the Council’s Housing Advisory Group [HAG] do not appear to have been considered during the preparation of the Canal Quarter Masterplan.
‘’Civic Vision would also argue that not only should the Housing Team be developing options for the St. Leonards Gate area but that they should lead on the implementation of this development.
‘’LCV are also surprised that no mention is made of the potential role of the Councils Housing Company in facilitating social housing within the Canal Quarter.
‘’Morehomes for the Bay, incorporated in June 2021 was established with the aim of allowing the Council to deliver a wider range of good quality affordable housing.
‘’The Council argued that through this it will benefit from greater flexibility and legal freedoms to do more for its communities and help maximise borrowing options and capital finance to deliver new housing schemes.
‘’LCV understood that this would include the provision of new homes for social rental, private rent and for purchase by owner-occupiers. It is therefore puzzling that the Masterplan makes no mention of the potential role of Morehomes for the Bay in advancing the Council’s ambitions for the Canal Quarter.’’
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