Controversial housing plan in fields near A6 given green light after appeal

A controversial plan to build up to 200 houses in fields between Bolton-le-Sands and Slyne has been given the go-ahead after an appeal was successful.

A government planning inspector has allowed the appeal and granted planning permission for the scheme, with conditions, on land west of the A6 at Slyne Road.

Planning permission had previously been refused by Lancaster City Council.

But Carla Livingstone, the investigating inspector, said in a report published today that the proposed new homes at 'Lapwing Fields' did "not represent inappropriate development in the Green Belt".

A spokesperson for the Friends of Lapwing Fields campaign group, formed in May 2025 to fight against the plans, said they were "extremely disappointed" by the decision.

Last November a petition against the plans signed by more than 2,700 people was handed in at 10 Downing Street.

Former Morecambe and Lunesdale MP David Morris, Lesley Bryan and Diane Archbold handing in petitions at 10 Downing Street

"We are extremely disappointed that the Planning Inspector has allowed the appeal for development at Lapwing Fields," said Lesley Bryan, posting on the Greenbelt Action Group (Slyne with Hest and Bolton le Sands) on Wednesday.

"This is a deeply disappointing outcome for everyone who has worked so hard to protect these fields and the important green gap between Bolton-le-Sands and Slyne-with-Hest.

"More than 500 objections were submitted to the original planning application, thousands of local people signed our petition, and many residents have spent months making their concerns known about the loss of green belt, landscape and wildlife habitat, the impact on local infrastructure and the erosion of the separation between our communities.

"We want to thank every single person who supported the campaign — those who wrote objections, signed the petition, donated, attended meetings, shared our posts, displayed banners and simply stood with us in trying to protect this land.

"Although this decision is a major setback, we are not going to pretend that the concerns raised by the community have simply disappeared. We will carefully study the Inspector’s decision and the conditions attached to any permission, and we will consider what options remain available to us.

"This campaign has always been about much more than one planning application. It has been about making sure that local people have a voice in what happens to the countryside around our villages.

"Thank you for standing with Lapwing Fields. 

"We will update you once we have had time to properly consider the decision and understand what happens next."

Beyond Radio has contacted Warren Cadman, from developers Wrenman Strategic Land who made the appeal, who said he did not wish to comment.

The planning inspector's report said: "The appeal is allowed and planning permission is granted for outline permission for the erection of up to 200 dwellings, including affordable housing, public open space, landscaping, and sustainable urban drainage system (SUDS) and associated works.

"The main issue is whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and relevant development plan policies with particular reference to whether the appeal site represents grey belt land and meets the Golden Rules.

"The appeal site is within the North Lancashire Green Belt and comprises of four agricultural fields on the southern edge of Bolton-le-Sands.

"I have given careful consideration to all other matters raised including from Bolton-le-Sands Parish Council, Slyne-with-Hest Parish Council and other local residents and interested parties. I also note a petition completed in objection to the development with over 2,000 signatures.

"I note comments stating that the three villages are served by a single parish council. However, there is no clear evidence before me to demonstrate that this is the case.

"The development would include contributions to improve movement and enhance the connectivity of the area.

"In order to comply with the (government planning policy) Golden Rules, the proposal must include an affordable housing contribution which is 15 percentage points above the highest existing affordable housing requirement which would otherwise apply to the development.

"Policy...sets an affordable housing target of 30 per cent.

"As such the main parties agree and so do I that the proposed development would meet the Golden Rules in this regard as it would include 45 per cent affordable housing.

Campaigners against the plans to build the houses pictured outside Morecambe Town Hall in July 2025

"The scheme also makes provision for necessary improvements to local infrastructure, and the illustrative plans indicate that it is capable of providing 5.45 hectares of green infrastructure, which includes public open space and could potentially exceed the standards set by the Local Plan.

"I therefore conclude that the proposal does not represent inappropriate development in the Green Belt and meets the Golden Rules.

"Given the area of the appeal site I am satisfied that the proposal for up to 200 dwellings would fit comfortably into this setting and would integrate well with its surroundings without being over dominant or appearing cramped.

"I note concerns regarding a lack of consultation with the community. Yet, I note that, based on the evidence before me the council carried out all required public notifications, including notification of this appeal.

"Also, there is no substantive evidence before me to demonstrate that notice of the application was not given to owner and/or agricultural tenant of all of the land to which the application relates.

"Some local concern has been raised about the potential harm to the living conditions of existing residents in the area during construction, including through the management of hazardous materials during the construction phase.

"While some disruption is typically expected during the construction of major developments, appropriate conditions can ensure that it is managed appropriately in order to minimise any disruptions to neighbouring occupants.

"There is no substantive evidence before me to clearly demonstrate that future occupants of the proposed development would be likely to cause an increase in criminal activity or anti-social behaviour or harm the general quality of life in the area.

"Concerns have been raised about the impact of the proposal on local services including healthcare and schools. However, the submitted legal agreement secures contributions to local infrastructure. In light of this, I am satisfied that the proposal would be acceptable with respect to its effect on local services.

"I have taken account of the concerns raised in relation to wildlife, protected species and the loss of habitat. The Ecological Impact Assessment submitted in support of the application established that, as arable land, the site is of negligible value as a habitat. The risk to bats was found to be low.

"Still, several bird species were found on the site, some of which are red listed species, including a breeding pair of lapwings.

"The evidence before me suggest that the necessary ground conditions required to support lapwings has arisen through maize production on part of the site.

"It is acknowledged that the continued use of the field for this crop is not guaranteed and may be subject to change.

"However, the development of the site would result in the permanent loss of the site as a suitable habitat for lapwings, and potentially other birds.

"Still, the submitted Biodiversity Net Gain Assessment found that the appeal site does not include any irreplaceable habitats or very high distinctiveness habitats.

"It also indicates that the site is capable of achieving a gain of 12.54 habitat units (an increase of 54.3 per cent), 3.06 hedgerow units (an increase of 54.7 per cent), 0.06 watercourse units (an increase of 15.24 per cent).

"The objective is for development to deliver at least a 10 per cent increase in biodiversity value relative to the pre-development value of the onsite habitat.

"Based on the available evidence I am satisfied that more than adequate biodiversity net gain could be achieved.

"Furthermore, both the council and Natural England are satisfied that the proposal would not harm protected species or result in the unacceptable loss of habitat and I agree.

"I note the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) raised no objections to the development, subject to appropriate conditions relating to drainage, surface water management, and sustainable drainage. Consequently, I am satisfied that the proposal would make effective provision for drainage and would not exacerbate flood risk off-site.

"In the context of the Government objective to significantly boost the supply of homes, the development of up to 200 dwellings would make a positive contribution towards housing in the area.

"Policies...make provision for the development of grey belt land in certain circumstances.

"In this instance the development relates to grey belt land that meets the Golden Rules as defined within the Framework.

"As such it does not represent inappropriate development in the Green Belt."

The Friends of Lapwing Fields campaign group was formed in May 2025 to protest against the plans.

The group aimed to "promote the many assets of our local green belt land and seek to retain it for the benefit of local communities and future generations".

Lancaster City Council planning regulatory committee met to discuss the proposals on February 16 2026 at Morecambe Town Hall.

Council officers had recommended that the outline planning application be approved, saying the site was no longer green belt but 'grey belt' land.

But a majority of the committee of councillors disagreed, voting 10 to three to refuse planning permission, with two abstaining.

Residents packed into Morecambe Town Hall to hear the decision, filling the public gallery, as well as an upstairs viewing room, with others waiting outside in the town hall foyer.

The public gallery at Morecambe Town Hall at the meeting on February 16 2026.

Prior to the meeting, campaigners said the development would result in urban sprawl within the Green Belt and the over population of the local area, and the merging of Bolton-le-Sands and Slyne to create a 'Bolton-le-Slyne'.

In a letter to Beyond Radio last week, Lesley Bryan from the Friends of Lapwing Fields/Greenbelt Action Group, said that in the summer of 2025, residents in Bolton-le-Sands and Slyne-with-Hest submitted nominations for local fields and green spaces to be protected as Local Green Space.

"However, nearly 18 months on, the nominations still haven’t been assessed," she said.

"This is particularly concerning because Lapwing Fields in Bolton-le-Sands is now subject to a planning appeal for up to 200 houses, and we are also expecting a housing application on the adjoining Green Belt land towards Slyne, all the land has also been put forward in the council’s Call for sites consultation. 

"I contacted our local councillors asking if the nominations could be assessed urgently, given the threat to the land and was informed rather briefly that they would be considered as part of the new Local Plan but would not carry significant weight until the plan is adopted, currently expected in 2029.

"So we have communities going to considerable trouble to nominate important green spaces for protection, but potentially having to wait a very long time for those nominations to have any meaningful recognition, while the land itself is at risk of development now.

"I think this raises some serious questions about how much notice the council is taking of community efforts to protect local green spaces, and whether the process is actually working as it should.

"Why invite people to put forward nominations if they cannot be assessed in time to make a difference?"

In response, Councillor Sue Tyldesley, cabinet member with responsibility for planning, said: “The council invited nominations for Local Green Space designation in March 2025 and submissions were received for land to the west of the A6.

Councillor Sue Tyldesley

“Since then, significant changes to national planning legislation and government guidance have required the council to revise its Local Plan timetable and this has affected the assessment process.

“Now that the new legislation and National Planning Policy Framework are in place, there is greater certainty about the process.

“The city council is in the first wave of local authorities developing a Local Plan under the new national system and is progressing it as quickly as the legislation allows.

“It is important that all nominated sites are assessed thoroughly, consistently and against the same criteria, so the council cannot prioritise individual sites.

“Any proposed designations will ultimately be subject to public consultation and independent examination before the Local Plan is adopted.”

Last week the council announced a public consultation on its future Local Plan.

The Local Plan is a blueprint for where future development could take place in the Lancaster district.

The consultation includes asking for residents' views on the council's assessment of green belt sites and which of them may fall within the definition of grey belt in national policy.

In UK town and country planning, grey belt is a policy classification for lower-quality or previously developed land located within the protected Green Belt.

Established more than 70 years ago, the Green Belt was designed to limit the growth of large built-up areas, and to stop large towns merging into one another.

Under the Labour government, if a council's housing targets cannot be met, some existing green belt land will be re-designated as grey belt to free up land for the construction of new homes.

More info on the Local Plan consultation can be found HERE.

Read more: Councillor reprimanded for breaking rules over controversial A6 housing plans - Beyond Radio

LISTEN: Up to 200 homes between Slyne and Bolton-le-Sands refused - Beyond Radio

Rallying cry as crunch meeting looms on 'Bolton-le-Slyne' housing plans - Beyond Radio

Protest against new homes on green belt near A6 reaches 10 Downing Street - Beyond Radio

Campaign group forms against plans for hundreds of new homes on Green Belt land near A6 - Beyond Radio

Plans revealed to build 260 new homes near A6 at Bolton-le-Sands - Beyond Radio