Plans for up to 250 homes on the site of a former quarry in Carnforth have been rejected by councillors.
The application was for a large scale development on the site of at the Lundsfield Quarries site, off Kellet Road.
Lancaster City Council planning officers had recommended the scheme by approved, but councillors sitting on the planning committee went against the advice, and refused permission.
Objectors to the plans included Carnforth Football Club, who claimed the development would threaten the viability of improved football facilities in the area.
There were also concerns the plans failed to consider reopening a nearby Lancaster Canal marina, as well as worries about increased traffic.
Government agency Homes England bought the land after developer Redrow Homes failed to deliver an earlier scheme some years ago.
The 29-acre site covers the former Lodge Quarry Works bordering the canal south of Carnforth town centre. The football club’s ground, Quarry Park, is on the northern edge of the site.
Neil Wakeman, from Carnforth Rangers FC, said: “We have real concerns for the incompatibility of football activities with this proposed housing development. This would threaten the viability of improved football facilities in the area.
“A significant shortfall of playing pitches in the Carnforth area has already been identified in Lancaster City Council local plans.
‘’Rather than building housing around the existing football ground, we believe all proposals should be considered holistically – together with the community’s sport and footballing needs. Plans for the district should facilitate the expansion of football facilities.”
Carnforth Town Council had also objected, claiming there had been poor consultation with the community, issues with traffic congestion and feared the football club would face complaints about disturbance from future residents.
The Homes England plan included demolition of some existing buildings to build new homes, access and infrastructure. It also proposed a car and coach park for Carnforth Rangers.
Lancaster City Council planning officers made recommendations include having a football club car park with at least 58 spaces and two coach spaces, with long-term security of tenure for the club, and a contribution by the developers for other sports amenities elsewhere.
Also recommended were affordable homes, new traffic signals on Kellet Road and the developer making a bus service contribution of £500,000.
Upon being put to the vote, 10 Councillors voted in favour of the proposal with 4 against and no abstentions, whereupon the Chair of the committee declared the proposal to have been carried.
The application was refused as in the committee’s view, the proposal would cause unacceptable biodiversity harm through the substantial loss of the site’s Biological Heritage Site, including valued priority habitats, invertebrate assemblages, and extensive woodland.
They said these habitats contribute significantly to local green and blue infrastructure.
The further stated that the mitigation offered is unconvincing and fails to show that these losses would be adequately compensated. The environmental harm was judged to significantly and demonstrably outweigh the scheme’s benefits.
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