Opinions sought for ‘tremendously important’ Marina Village
Supplementary planning documents for the 808-home Barrow-in-Furness project are facing public consultation until 19 September.
The dockside Marina Village is expected to house 1,500 residents.
It was designed by Optimised Environments, part of SLR.
The first phase remediation of 15 acres was completed in November with the aid of £5.5m from the government’s Getting Building Fund.
Work on the 47-acre phase two, supported by £24.8m by Homes England’s Brownfield, Infrastructure and Land grant, is expected to start soon.
Westmorland and Furness Council owns 97% of the 62-acre site and is preparing an SPD to guide its transformation.
Residential plans are to be flexible with scope for varying density ranging from detached houses to terraces and apartments.
The minimum requirement for affordable homes is 10%.
The council is being assisted by Capita as the planning consultant, with the final adoption of the SPD scheduled for November.
Sitting off Salthouse Road and Cavendish Dock Road, Marina Village is on the former Furness Railway Works, which was demolished in the 1980s.
Work would include the restoration of the grade two-listed Railwaymen’s Club, which will be transformed into a positive arrival landmark,” according to the draft SPD.
A nature conservation area, public open spaces, and active travel links connecting to neighbouring Vulcan Road Park are all under consideration.
Sitting alongside the Buccleuch Dock, construction would be set back off the water to allow for the extension of a public promenade – with the potential to host community events.
All developments should be electrically heated, with air source heat pumps noted as a sustainable alternative.
EV charging points and solar power are also part of the project’s sustainability efforts.
The draft SPD also requires that the development must deliver a range of outdoor communal and public spaces.
Contributions will be expected towards the improvement of local education and healthcare provision off-site.
The SPD suggests that for commercial activity, the priority will be to encourage more people into Barrow town centre.
Cllr Virginia Taylor, cabinet member for sustainable communities and localities, said: “It is one of the council’s biggest schemes and tremendously important for Barrow, Westmorland and Furness, and beyond.
“Residents must play a key part in letting us know their views on the site’s future. I urge as many people as possible to engage with the consultation process or visit the drop-in session a The Forum on 10 September.”
The consultation process will include various stakeholders including Natural England, Associated British Ports, and BAE systems – who are expected to create 5,000 jobs in the area.
Cushman & Wakefield and WSP are also on the project team working on behalf of the council.
The draft plan and details about how to have your say can be found at:
https://consult.westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk/planning-policy/marina-village-draft-spd-survey
To view the planning application for this project, use the reference number B28/2023/0313 on Westmorland and Furness Council’s website.
