A leading Lancaster community group says part of the city’s maritime history will be lost if permission is granted to build on a patch of land off the quay.
A planning application was submitted to Lancaster City Council back in May 2021 for a development on land north Of New Quay Road. The proposal is for the erection of 16 affordable residential dwellings, with associated access, parking and landscaping.
The application is currently at the consultation stage, with a decision expected at a later date.
Lancaster Civic Vision are among the objectors, who have raised concerns about tourism, traffic, and pollution, and say the land should be a public open space.
In a statement, they said: “If the proposed dense and uninteresting development goes ahead this potential tourist location will be lost for ever.”
“As local residents point out, increased traffic is already causing problems of noise and poor air quality, which will only be exacerbated if plans for expansion of the nearby Lune Industrial Estate go ahead.”
“Calls have already been made by LCV for an additional road bridge crossing the River Lune to divert traffic from the west of the city on to the Bay Gateway via Ovangle Road, thus relieving the historic St George’s Quay from further damage.”.
‘’A petition organised by LCV last year calling for Lancashire County Council to mount a feasibility study into the possibility of such a new road bridge received overwhelming support from residents in Lancaster, Morecambe and Carnforth yet was ignored by local elected County Council representatives for these areas.
“We believe it is time to call for a moratorium on decisions relating to any applications relating to the Quay and Willow Lane until Lancaster City Council have commissioned an independent study of the traffic implications and received a report on it.”
“The quay is part of Lancaster's maritime heritage, and although the New Quay does not date back to the time of tall ships, if we are to attract tourism, we need to preserve spaces such as this.”
“If the proposed dense and uninteresting development goes ahead this potential tourist location will be lost for ever.”
“Whilst in principle we favour an increase in so-called “affordable” housing in the city, this development looks dense and unattractive with sixteen dwellings being shoe-horned onto the site.”
“If this development is allowed to go ahead as planned, future residents and visitors to the city will ask why a golden opportunity for a significant addition to our tourist offerings was lost.”
‘’Frequently we have expressed our concerns about the ever-increasing build-up of traffic using the Quay. This development would only exacerbate the problem.’’
The Environment Agency also object to the scheme, as works fall within 8 metres of a flood defence, restricting essential maintenance and emergency access to the flood defence wall. They’ve called for a revised layout to be submitted.
United Utilities have raised concerns that about surface water drainage, and that the development builds over a sewage main that serves the city.
Dozens of residents have also objected to the plans.
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