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Lancaster Greens are celebrating the go-ahead for a new eco-friendly expansion of the sheltered housing development in the Marsh area of the city using state-of-the-art building methods.

City council planning committee members voted unanimously last week to approve expanding the council’s existing Alder Grove independent living scheme from 53 to 57 homes.

The innovative modular construction technique will be the first development of its kind in the north west and will help keep fuel bills down due to its high thermal efficiency and use of solar power.

The plan is to demolish the structurally unsafe, derelict manager’s house and replace it with a two-storey building comprising four one-bed flats, a manager’s office and community room.

Alder Grove in Lancaster. Photo: Google Street View

The new community room could free up an existing home on the site, which is currently used as a day room.

This would provide a net increase of five homes, if planning permission is granted for the return of the day room back to housing.

Planning officers had recommended refusal for the development on grounds of potential flood risk. This is because the site sits in Flood Zone 3, which is classified as having the highest risk of flood and requires the application of the 'Sequential Test' which asks if the development could be elsewhere in the district, in an area less likely to flood.

Mandy Bannon, Green councillor for Marsh ward, spoke in favour of the proposal at the planning meeting, arguing: “The sequential test for flood risk in this case is a blunt tool which ignores the fact that this plan is designed specifically for the Alder Grove housing scheme.

"To build it elsewhere in the district does not make sense. Sheltered housing also requires nearby transport links and community facilities.”

The architects, Mason Gillibrand, had addressed the flood risk issue by raising the level of the ground floor level of the flats by 300mm, satisfying the Environment Agency who were happy with this proposal.

When the scheme was approved, Coun Bannon said: "The four new flats, community room and manager’s office will greatly improve the Alder Grove facilities – and enable more of our elderly and disabled residents to live independently.

"The city council will again be leading the way, acting on its commitment to zero carbon emissions by 2030. I can’t wait to see work begin.”

"I’m thrilled that this scheme for much-needed housing has been given the green light,” she added. “This is a victory for common sense!

"We all take flood risk seriously, but on this occasion, the planning guidelines just didn’t apply to these specific plans for Alder Grove.

"There are hundreds of other residential homes surrounding this scheme in the same Flood Zone, so the addition of four more flats seems a minimal consequence, especially when the flood risk has been mitigated by the amended design features."

Greens celebrate after Lancaster sheltered housing scheme expansion is approved

"I’m thrilled that this scheme for much-needed housing has been given the green light,” she added. “This is a victory for common sense!

"We all take flood risk seriously, but on this occasion, the planning guidelines just didn’t apply to these specific plans for Alder Grove.

"There are hundreds of other residential homes surrounding this scheme in the same Flood Zone, so the addition of four more flats seems a minimal consequence, especially when the flood risk has been mitigated by the amended design features."