Plans for up to 130 new homes near Bay Gateway given green light

Plans for up to 130 new homes on land close to Torrisholme village have been given approval.

Lancaster City Council granted planning permission for the scheme at a meeting at Morecambe Town Hall on Monday.

The proposal was passed, by nine votes to six, by councillors on the planning regulatory committee.

The new houses are due to be built on former Green Belt land off Powder House Lane in Lancaster - in fields also bounded by Russell Drive in Torrisholme, Slyne Road and the Bay Gateway.

More than 270 objections had been received from members of the public.

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.

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".

Council officers had recommended the scheme be approved.

But councillors making the final decision at Monday's meeting - which was open to the public - were divided on the issue.

Councillor John Hanson, of Labour, said the scheme should go ahead because: "We need housing, I can't see a problem with it to be honest."

He was supported by Councillor Alan Greenwell, of the Liberal Democrats, who said: "The need for additional housing is important.

"Every site we see is beset with problems. But I'm thinking of the families who need housing, who will be living here."

But Councillor Martin Bottoms, of the Morecambe Bay Independents, said: "I will be voting against it.

"I don't believe the need for new housing outweighs the number of concerns residents have for this project."

Councillor Louise Belcher, of Labour, said: "I agree. It harms the Key Urban Landscape. It would harm Torrisholme Barrow and I'm not convinced that the developer is committed to affordable housing."

Councillors were told at the meeting that up to 15 per cent of part of the site would be affordable housing, with up to 30 per cent affordable housing on another part of the land.

Councillor Paul Tynan, of the Greens, asked what had been done to "mitigate rat-running near Russell Drive".

Jennifer Rehman, planning officer, said: "We can't remove the risk but it has been mitigated through the revised design of the (new) junction."

A pre-meeting council report 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."

The report also said 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 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 financial contribution towards highways improvements in Lancaster and Morecambe.

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

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

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.

But at Monday, Jennifer Rehman said an objection from the town council had been received "too late" to be considered at the meeting.

Read more: Council officers say 130 new homes near Bay Gateway should get green light - Beyond Radio