City council rejects controversial plans for 129 new homes near Torrisholme Barrow

City councillors decided by eight votes to six to turn down planning permission when they met at Morecambe Town Hall today, Tuesday.

Oakmere Homes wanted to build 129 new houses on land close to the gardens of existing bungalows in Fulwood Drive, Williams Avenue and Hamilton Road, and also near the railway line and Torrisholme Barrow.

The application originally went before the Lancaster City Council planning committee last month, when councillors voted to defer a decision to allow alternative routes for construction vehicles to access the land, rather than Fulwood Drive, to be investigated.

A council planning report said: "The suggested route was from Slyne Road/Hasty Brow Road which would allow large construction vehicles to be diverted away from residential properties on Fulwood Drive.

"Particular concern has been raised in relation to the amount of material that may be required to be imported to allow for land levels to be raised.

"[Lancashire County Council] have advised that Hasty Brow Road is an unsuitable alternative to Fulwood Drive for construction traffic.

"They have set out that all traffic would need to approach from the west, given the restrictions imposed by bridges to the east, and this would put construction traffic through a residential and retail area which would not be a change for the better from using Fulwood Drive.

"Over recent years, complaints have been received regarding the use of Hasty Brow Road for heavy goods vehicles and they have introduced the unsuitable signs due to damage to structures. In addition, they have advised that the restrictive width of Slyne Road/Hasty Brow Lane is not suitable to accommodate significant HGV movements."

City council planning officers had recommended the scheme should be approved subject to conditions including a legal agreement with the developer to ensure a minimum of 27 per cent affordable housing, a financial contribution for open space, and a travel plan contribution of £6,000.

They said: “Whilst the development is considered to cause less than substantial harm to the setting of designated heritage assets [Torrisholme Barrow], it is considered that this is outweighed by the public benefits of the scheme."