Council officers say 130 new homes near Bay Gateway should get green light

Planning officers have recommended that a controversial new housing scheme near a residential area in Torrisholme should be given the green light.

A Lancaster City Council report says plans for up to 130 new homes off Powder House Lane in Lancaster - in fields also bounded by Russell Drive in Torrisholme and Slyne Road - should be approved, subject to conditions.

The  report also says they have received 270 contacts from members of the public about the plans - with only two supporting them.

Complaints include the potential impact on roads including fears over 'rat-running' on Hasty Brow and Russell Drive, potential flood risk as the site is said to be susceptible to flooding, and concerns from residents over loss of privacy and security.

Residents have been campaigning against the plans since 2023, and Morecambe Town Council has objected to the scheme both in its original and current form.

Beyond Radio spoke to Torrisholme homeowners, at the time, who were worried because the development could be built close to their back gardens.

The outline planning application is for "the erection of up to 130 dwellings and associated infrastructure with access, road realignment/widening to part of Slyne Road and associated engineering work".

Lancaster City Council planning regulatory committee - a group of elected councillors - will meet to discuss the proposal on Monday September 1, and could make a final decision on that date.

The council report, published publicly ahead of this meeting, said: 

"This application was submitted in December 2023 for up to 200 dwellings with associated infrastructure, access and road realignment to Slyne Road.

"In June 2025 the proposal was amended with the quantum of development reduced to up to 130 dwellings.

"This is in response to changes in national and local planning policy as well as addressing previous flood risk, ecology, landscape and design concerns.

"The site comprises 10.37 hectares of agricultural land, subdivided into field enclosures by native hedgerows and boundary trees or watercourses. The site is located on the eastern edge of the existing built-up area of Torrisholme.

"The site is bound by residential development along Russell Drive to the west, Powder House Lane to the east, fields and Slyne Road to the north, and an existing pedestrian/cycle track which runs alongside the Bay Gateway to the west.

"Land between the existing built-up area of Morecambe and the railway line was formerly located within the North Lancashire Green Belt. This included the proposed site.

"This designation was removed when the (council's) Local Plan was adopted in 2020 following the Green Belt Review.

"The boundary of the Green Belt now lies to the east of the adjacent railway line.

"The site now forms part of a larger local landscape designation which wraps around Torrisholme Barrow and is bound by the existing railway line, the Bay Gateway and existing development to the east of the site and the Barrow itself."

The report says that the council's undersupply of housing in the Lancaster and Morecambe District has been described as "acute and woeful" by inspectors in recent planning appeals.

It says the district's Local Plan sets out a a requirement of 10,440 new homes between 2011 and 2031.

"As of April 1 2024 the outstanding commitment for the district stood at 2,662 dwellings including student accommodation and older people accommodation," says the report.

"This demonstrates a significant shortfall in housing delivery in the district. This is reflected in the latest Housing Land Supply Statement which confirms the council cannot demonstrate a five-years supply of housing sites and in fact is only able to demonstrate a two years’ worth supply of housing."

The report also says: "The scheme would result in harm to the significance of the Torrisholme Barrow Scheduled Monument due to development within its setting.

"However, this harm has been partially mitigated by the provision of structural landscaping and landscaping buffers to contain the built development. Whilst some level of harm remains, it is considered to be outweighed by the wider public benefits of the proposal—particularly the delivery of a significant number of homes in a sustainable location amid a recognised housing shortfall, therefore no resulting in a conflict with heritage policy.

"The application has also demonstrated that the development would be acceptable in terms of flood risk, ecological impacts, sustainable design and infrastructure/pollution matters and it is recognised the development will also make positive contributions towards open space provision on and off-site.

"The proposed access strategy is deemed safe and suitable to the satisfaction of the local highway authority. The extent of off-site highway works will provide improvements to the walking and cycling environment locally and are considered a benefit to the scheme. The highways contribution will enable suitable mitigation to ensure the highway network can accommodate the growth associated with the development.

"Given the significant undersupply of housing within the district, it is considered that the benefits of the proposal do outweigh the identified harm and permission ought to be granted."

The report says outline planning permission should only be granted "following the satisfactory completion of a legal agreement within three months of the date of this committee meeting".

It says that planning permission should be refused if this "Section 106 agreement is not concluded within the timescale...or other agreed extension of time".

The agreement would include providing policy-compliant affordable housing on site; green space and equipped play area; an off-site public open space (financial) contribution towards athletics facilities; playing pitch improvements and associated facilities at Salt Ayre Leisure Centre; management and maintenance of all landscaping, unadopted roads, lighting and drainage infrastructure and on-site open space; provision of on-site biodiversity net gain; and a highways and travel plan contribution.

The council has also asked for 34 other conditions to be met.

You can read them in the full council pre-meeting report HERE.

The planning committee meeting will be held at Morecambe Town Hall on September 1, from 10.30am, and is open to the public.

Read more: Residents begin fight against plans for 200 new homes near Bay Gateway - Beyond Radio

Councillors speak out against plans for 200 new homes near Bay Gateway - Beyond Radio