Campaigners call on city and county councils to rethink 9,000 south Lancaster homes plans

Residents lobbied councillors outside a full city council meeting at Morecambe Town Hall last Wednesday, saying the project is flawed.

Factors included construction costs, difficult council and government finances, transport and the environmental impact.

Environmental groups including Sustainable Lancaster in Climate Emergency (SLICE) and supporters of Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion were among the protestors.

Later, Charles Ainger, a local resident and civil engineer, spoke for SLICE during the meeting.

He said the proposed number and locations of homes was wrong, costs had spiralled and there were funding gaps.

Traffic predictions were outdated and the emissions from the building projects and resulting traffic would hinder work to reduce emissions over time.

He said other English councils were scrapping road schemes and looking at new options and Lancaster City Council could do the same.

The proposal could see at least 3,500 new homes built south of Lancaster, and new roads including a remodelling of junction 33 of the M6.

Residents fear such a scheme would see a 'new town' built on green land around Galgate, Lancaster and Conder Green.

Green councillor Gina Dowding said: “I know a number of residents across the district share these concerns, as do some councillors. It’s public knowledge that it was not supported unanimously in 2021 but it was supported democratically in a vote. I, for one, did not support the project.

“Some issues are beyond the local authority’s control, such as rising inflation pressures that we are all experiencing, which will inevitably effect costs of projects including the Housing Infrastructure Fund.

“All local authorities review their plans and I want to give reassurances that the city council is doing the same. This scheme is not immune from that review. We will be mindful of escalating costs and councillors will be looking at appropriate action.”

Coun Dowding said Lancaster City Council’s original suggestion of around 3,500 new homes in south Lancaster had been described as soundly prepared by an inspector.

However, the later proposal of more than 9,000 was linked to a business case created by Lancashire County Council for the government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund.

She added: “It’s slightly premature to say that current [government] house-building targets won’t be needed. The government says local housing needs should be the starting point and areas will not be expected to meet these targets where there are genuine constraints. However, it will be for the government to decide national policy. April 2023 is the earliest time for national policy to be changed.

“This district still needs housing. But we also need fundamental changes to national policy, such as sustainable housing built on brownfield land.”

Green Independent councillor Kevin Frea, deputy leader of the council, said: “We are faced with the reality that, whatever decisions have already been taken, construction costs have already risen by 20 per cent.

"The county council is in charge of this and is looking at how construction costs are going to be met? Money has got to come from Homes England or the county council or an extra charge on the new homes. No decision has been made, as far as I know.

“There is nothing the city council is doing that is holding up the process. It has simply been dealing with the urgency of the situation with the county council. Homes England will want to know that the project is still being delivered under the current circumstances. Until this is resolved, it’s completely out of the control of the city council.”

However, Coun Erica Lewis said: “This is a really difficult debate for this body [the city council]. Coun Frea is well-known for his single-issue focus and general disregard for other council matters. My understanding is that the city council is absolutely doing things to stop this going forward and I would have thought this would be the outcome.

“Caroline Jackson [the council leader] gave an undertaking that she would respect the democratic decision of this chamber. Coun Frea is suggesting he is not bound by the decision and can follow his pet politics, and stand in the way of GP places and planned homes.”

Background to the scheme

The South Lancaster Growth Catalyst project began around 2016. It included work with organisations such as Lancaster University and a focus on the Bailrigg Garden Village. Early ideas suggested around 3,500 new homes and changes to junction 33 of the M6.

However, the proposals grew in later years after the government proposed the Housing Infrastructure Fund (known as HIF) to expand the number of new homes in the wider area to more than 9,000.

Proposals also included putting a £10,000 roof tax on each new home, to help towards costs. Lancaster City Council would have various financial responsibilities under the agreement.

In early 2021, Lancashire County Council and Homes England signed a HIF agreement. City and county council officers then worked to develop a non-binding ‘principles agreement’, ahead of a full partnership agreement in August 2021.

Then Lancaster city councillors held a special council meeting in late summer 2021 to vote on the HIF deal. Green and Eco-Socialist councillors voted against the HIF. However, other councillors including Labour and Conservatives voted for HIF and won the vote. Following that, the Green leadership said they would work constructively with others.

But this year’s rising costs and financial pressures have led to fresh claims that the South Lancaster Growth Catalyst programme is flawed on multiple issues including costs, housing targets and environmental matters.