Castle View Lancaster

Following extensive discussions between the partners of the project (Lancashire County Council, Lancaster City Council and Homes England), a decision has been made to suspend further work to deliver new transport and other supporting infrastructure for development in south Lancaster in order to re-evaluate the proposals.

This decision comes amid increasing costs driven by extraordinary construction inflation in recent years, combined with other factors that have increased the pressure on and risk to the public purse, and other circumstances that would impact on the final delivery.

Overall, the aim is to continue to develop plans for this part of south Lancaster through the re-evaluation of the current plans. These will develop the community and improve long-term traffic issues.

We'll let people know more about our plans as they are developed.

Find out more in our news release about the decision.

About the suspended project

Known as the South Lancaster Growth Catalyst, this suspended programme involved a significant investment in measures to encourage bus use, cycling and walking, to make these much more attractive travel options in future.

As well as helping Lancaster's economy to continue to grow, this represented an opportunity to solve some of the existing problems at certain times with congestion and pollution in and around the city centre and in Galgate.

The project would also include new education, health, utilities and active travel and bus provision to support new housing and jobs.

Funding for the road scheme and a wider programme of supporting infrastructure included an award of £140 million from the government's Housing Infrastructure Fund. This will be returned to the government following the decision to suspend further work.

Proposed South Lancaster to M6 Road Scheme

The centre of Galgate

The proposed new road scheme on the south side of the university, which is currently suspended, aimed to:

  • Support access to proposed housing sites
  • Reduce traffic along the A6, especially through Galgate
  • Support the removal of the Air Quality Management Area and ease existing congestion in the centre of Galgate

A preferred route was identified which would provide a link road along the western side of the M6 between Ellel and Galgate, joining with Hazelrigg Lane near the university.

Public consultation

A consultation was held in the local area in early 2023 to inform preparations for a planning application for the road scheme.  Submission of a planning application is now suspended pending re-evaluation of these plans.

There were more than 400 replies to the consultation. Issues raised included concerns over the loss of wildlife and landscape, possible flooding, the impact on existing properties and construction-related issues. People were positive about many of the planned transport improvements.

Sites for new homes

The Lancaster Local Plan sets out the need for housing in South Lancaster.

The Lancaster District Local Plan provides for residential development between 2011 and 2031 with the delivery of at least 3,500 new houses in the South Lancaster Growth Area, including Bailrigg Garden Village. Not all of this capacity will be built within the Plan Period, with a number of sites continuing beyond this time.

Lancaster City Council is leading on the Lancaster South Area Action Plan which would identify individual site allocations and policies for development and other land uses within the Lancaster South area.

The scale of this development in South Lancaster will see a significant increase in the number of journeys, both local and longer distance. So major improvements to the existing transport infrastructure will be required to encourage more journeys by bus, walking and cycling.

Get involved and latest updates

We'll keep people updated as plans for the area are developed, including opportunities to be part of future consultation and engagement, although there are currently no timings available for this.