Plans for up to 90 new homes near Bay Gateway could get green light

A plan showing the proposed site, with the red boundary. The shaded area shows where up to 130 new homes will be built, after planning permission was granted in 2025.

Council officers have recommended that planning permission should be granted for up to 90 new homes in a field near Torrisholme.

The new houses would be built on land east of Powder House Lane, next to where up to 130 new homes were given the green light by Lancaster City Council last year.

A final decision is expected to be made by councillors at a meeting on May 11.

The outline planning application is "for the erection of up to 90 dwellings, including affordable housing, public open space, landscaping, and sustainable urban drainage system and associated works".

The application is from Warren Cadman of Wrenman Strategic Land, who also applied for the adjoining scheme. 

Documents submitted with the plans said features of the scheme will include "proposed vehicle access from the committed Powder House Lane West scheme across Powder House Lane leading to a well defined central street corridor", and "opportunities for a new pedestrian access to existing footpaths and new footpaths proposed through the adjacent committed scheme".

It also says there will be "an opportunity for enhancing existing vegetation through new focal green spaces and by connecting the tree belts to boundary vegetation through green links" and "opportunities for enhanced landscaping and biodiversity through new hedgerows and tree planting".

"The site will provide a new edge to Torrisholme," says a design and access statement submitted with the proposal.

"The primary access point will be taken from Slyne Road, as a continuation of the spine road from the committed Powder House Lane West scheme directly to the west."

The site is 5.12 hectares of agricultural land, consisting of one field enclosed by hedgerows and trees along with the West Coast Mainline to the east and Powder House Lane to the west.

A small holding is located to the south of the site, and just beyond this lies the Bay Gateway.

The Bay Gateway

The site is on the north and east of Torrisholme, approximately 950 metres to its local centre.

A report published ahead of the meeting said Lancaster City Council has received six letters objecting to the scheme.

Slyne with Hest Parish Council has also objected on grounds including "unsuitable access – strong objection to the use of the access approved as part of the neighbouring development to Slyne Road".

"The access road is narrow, winding, with poor visibility, and constrained by an old canal bridge not designed for modern traffic levels.

"The local road network cannot safely accommodate increased traffic, even with limited proposed widening (proposed as part of the neighbouring development).

"Most traffic will turn right toward the A6 and Bay Gateway, funnelling vehicles through the village and placing unsustainable pressure on already busy roads.

"Directing traffic through Torrisholme would worsen congestion in an area already prone to gridlock."

Lancashire County Council, the Local Highway Authority, has no objection to the plans.

Other objections from residents say there will be a "loss of open countryside and agricultural land" and "harm to rural character and cumulative loss of natural features" and "flooding and drainage concerns (are) likely to worsen".

The report recommends that approval be granted, subject to various conditions.

"The applicant has demonstrated a safe and suitable access can be provided (subject to further details being agreed at reserved matters stage) and the impacts of development traffic would not lead to safety concerns or have residual cumulative impacts that would be severe on the network," it says.

"Subject to pre-commencement conditions, it has been demonstrated that there are options available to ensure the development can be drained sustainably and without causing a flood risk elsewhere.

"With mitigation, the impacts of the development upon nearby designated ecological sites, upon the ecological value of the site itself and its immediate surroundings and upon identified species, are acceptable.

"The proposal would result in a low level of less than substantial harm to the significance of the Torrisholme Barrow Scheduled Monument arising from development within its setting.

"However, this harm would be mitigated to an acceptable degree through the provision of structural landscaping and landscape buffers designed to contain and soften the visual presence of the built development.

"The provision of up to 90 dwellings (will) meet identified needs at a time when the council cannot demonstrate an adequate supply of housing, (and) weighs significantly in favour of the development.

"In addition, the proposal will provide 30 per cent on-site affordable dwellings, up to a total of 27 dwellings."

Lancaster City Council planning regulatory committee will meet to discuss the plans on Monday May 11, at Morecambe Town Hall.

The meeting starts at 10.30am and is open to the public.

The Powder House Lane West scheme was passed in September 2025 by the committee, by nine votes to six.

These 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.

The latest plans can be seen in the planning section of the Lancaster City Council website lancaster.gov.uk, reference number 26/00004/OUT.

Read more: Plans for up to 130 new homes near Bay Gateway given green light - Beyond Radio

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