Lancaster music venue demolition and temporary car park approved

Plans to demolish a Lancaster music venue and other historic buildings in the future, and create a two-year public car park have been approved.

Lancaster City Council planning regulatory committee made the decision at a meeting on Monday.

They granted planning permission for "demolition of existing buildings and associated vegetation clearance" in the Brewery Lane area of Lancaster and "temporary change of use of vacant land to a car park with associated works".

As announced last month, Kanteena is expected to remain open well into 2026 while a wider masterplan for the site is developed, to include a long-term cultural/music venue.

The applicants are landowners Lanmara Developments Ltd, which was acquired earlier this year by developers Marco Living and Axis-RE.

They want to create a £100m mixed-use development on the three acre former brewery site over the next three to five years, to regenerate it as part of long-awaited plans for the Canal Quarter area of Lancaster.

Their masterplan includes a new hotel, housing including 60 residential units and 150 student homes, a state-of-the-art medical centre, a car parking hub, children's nursery and restoring the former brewery to create a 600-capacity entertainment venue with office space for businesses.

Two planning applications for demolition were approved on Monday - one to demolish the Kanteena warehouse-style venue and a former bus depot fronting Edward Street.

The other is a part-retrospective application to demolish premises at Swan Court, the former Timber Yard buildings, the rear of 11 Moor Lane, Thompson and Jackson in St Anne’s Court and D C Wilson garage and workshop on Brewery Lane.

A council report, published ahead of the meeting, said of this latter application: "The submission (by the applicant) sets out that after decades of abandonment, the current buildings on the site have fallen into a severely dilapidated condition.

"The submission highlights that the structural integrity of the buildings has been significantly compromised, with a number of dangerous defects identified.

"The vacant nature of the site has also led to ongoing security concerns, including frequent unauthorised access and break-ins, which have contributed to incidents of anti-social behaviour impacting the surrounding community. These issues further underline the need for prompt demolition to remove the danger to the public and prevent further deterioration."

The report also says: "The site also contains a more modern large warehouse building and 20th century extensions, which are in a deteriorated state and all but one of the structures is subject to a Section 77 notice issued by the council's Building Control department. This notice requires the applicant to demolish the buildings as they are structurally unsafe."

The temporary car park, on land close to Kanteena, would have 158 spaces and operate for two years.

The developers have said this will ensure "the site remains productive whilst the comprehensive masterplan is being prepared".

In July, announcing the closure of the venue by the end of the year, a Kanteena spokesperson said "we always knew it was meant to be temporary" when they opened six years ago.

However, more than 800 public objections then went in to the council, protesting against the demolition of the much-loved venue.

In October, the developers announced that Kanteena would now remain open well into 2026, and a long-term entertainment venue would be part of their masterplan for the site.

At Monday's meeting held at Morecambe Town Hall, councillors were told that a "support letter" from Kanteena had been received for the demolition plans; and that knocking down the venue is expected to take place "late in the demolition process" across the whole site.

During a debate on these plans, Councillor Dave Brookes said: "We have had some early sight of what might come forward (to replace Kanteena). I feel relatively comfortable that we can allow this to progress."

Councillor Sandra Thornberry, chair of the planning committee said: "It is un-nerving to remove things without knowing what's coming next. But the letter that came from Kanteena did seem positive that things could come forward."

And Councillor Tom Fish (below) said: "People do really care about that venue. It's sad to see it go but I think we have a hope for a good planning application to come in for the good of the people, including young people, of Lancaster."

The committee members then took a vote, with Councillors Thornberry, Tynan, Belcher, Potter, Bottoms, Budden, Brookes, Livermore, Fish, Hanson, Gawith and Greenwell voting in favour of accepting the recommendation of council officers, to demolish Kanteena and the former bus depot. Councillor Andrew Otway abstained.

Councillors then voted unanimously to give planning permission for the demolition of the other buildings on the site.

They then discussed the car park proposal.

Councillor Brookes said: "There is some benefit in providing temporary car parking at this time.

"It's not going to look great but it seems like an acceptable 'meanwhile use'.

"It will help the developer get some income from the site while they are working up plans for something that it going to be a lot better."

After councillors voted unanimously to approve the car park with a two-year limit and other conditions, Councillor Thornberry (below) spoke directly to developers Nick Mullins and Russ Worthington, who were in the public gallery to hear the decision.

"We have accepted, reluctantly," she said.

"We are all hoping to see some exciting new plans for this area. It really deserves it."

The first glimpse of the developers' masterplan for the area was revealed earlier this month.

You can read more about this, see the plan for the site, and listen to Mr Mullins and Mr Worthington speaking about their plans, at the link below.

Read more: LISTEN: First glimpse revealed of £100m Lancaster regeneration vision - Beyond Radio

For all the background on this story, see the links here.

Lancaster music venue due to shut will now stay open "well into 2026" - Beyond Radio