A new approach to delivering much-needed affordable homes in Skerton has been approved by Lancaster City Council.
At a meeting last week, they backed plans to test whether there is interest from housing developers to work in partnership with the city council to deliver affordable and social housing both on the site of the former Skerton High School and also the wider Mainway estate.
The scheme has stalled since planning permission for 135 new homes was granted last December, and this new plan follows a review of the business case for developing both the school site and the wider Mainway area.
By potentially partnering with a developer, the council say their ambitions for Mainway can be achieved while keeping its costs under control.
Councillor Caroline Jackson, leader of Lancaster City Council and cabinet member with responsibility for housing, said: “Building new homes costs millions and we seek to keep all options open to us to achieve our aims whilst also being ambitious for the people of Mainway.
“At this stage we are not looking to partner with a developer, but to see if there is any interest in working with us and what ideas they can bring forward.
‘’We are in desperate need of new affordable housing and by working with the market and looking at different ways to deliver the project, we can create better homes and strong communities that will be fit for future generations.
‘’ Over the past few years, the council has worked closely with residents, holding events and consultations to understand what people want for the future. The council’s vision is to create a modern, energy-efficient neighbourhood that offers high-quality social and affordable homes.’’
The Mainway estate was built in the 1960s, but many of the buildings are reaching the end of their life and the estate has struggled with issues like outdated facilities.
SKERTON HIGH AND MAINWAY SCHEME - The story so far
Planning permission was given to build 135 new council homes on the site of the former Skerton High School in Lancaster in December 2024.
The council gave permission for the school to be demolished in December 2023, and the bulldozers moved in, in early 2024.
Lancaster City Council had bought the building in 2023.
Skerton High closed in 2014 after being deemed surplus to requirements by Lancashire County Council due to dwindling pupil numbers.
Plans for the new development currently include two sets of new apartments, with a central square where residents can meet and socialise, a lawn with cafe style seating around the edge, and an additional community area on the ground floor of one of the apartment buildings.
There will also be three terraces of two, three, and four bedroom houses, children’s play facilities and two new football pitches, complete with changing facilities for players and officials.
The two rows of cherry trees that line the entrance way alongside the playing fields at the front of the site will be retained.
There will also be on-site parking.
The new homes will be affordable social rented accommodation, owned by Lancaster City Council, and with the council as landlord.
This artist's impression shows how the new housing might look.
Other buildings on Mainway will be included in the rest of the project to revamp the entire estate.
The council has said some of these would be council owned, while others may be for private rent, shared ownership, or owned and managed by another housing provider.
In September 2023, Mainway residents told Beyond Radio of their "anger and anxiety" over the housing plan for the area.
They said that residents were moved out of Lune House and Derby House in Skerton on the promise that their homes would be refurbished and then they could go back.
But with the revamp being carried out privately, both blocks would no longer be council-owned, sparking fears that tenants would be priced out of living on Mainway in future.
"The reason we are looking to build new homes on the school site first of all is so that we have homes for existing residents across Mainway to move into to allow us to then develop the other blocks of flats," said a council newsletter, published at the time.
"It is far too soon to discuss the details of either the work that will take place in these future phases or how (residents) might be directly affected."
In 2024, a report revealed that Bridge House on Mainway (below) was being earmarked for closure and residents were likely be moved to temporary accommodation.
The tower block close to the River Lune, which was built in the 1960s, was showing signs of structural failure.
Lancaster City Council said there was no immediate risk to residents, and regular inspections were being carried out, and had been for several years. They said the building was safe, but considered "the most likely to fail" on the estate.
The council said that residents are being kept informed and would have a say on where they would be moved to.
Consultation was carried out among Mainway tenants between 2020 and 2022, which which found that 70 per cent of tenants were in favour of change on the estate.
The masterplan came about after the council declared a Climate Emergency in 2019 and wanted to ensure that Mainway is ‘future-fit,’ with low and zero carbon homes meeting the highest thermal standards, so residents can enjoy the lowest possible running costs.
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