Exciting times for Morecambe as residents back leisure-led future for former Frontierland site

Late last year Lancaster City Council, who bought the former theme park site in 2021, launched a consultation to ask for views on a set of 10 principles for Frontierland’s redevelopment.

An online survey gathered people’s views and a series of public drop-in events took place around Morecambe.

Of the 455 people who responded to the consultation, the majority supported all of the draft principles, with eight of the 10 receiving more than 80% support.

This included 93% agreement that the site needs to deliver a leisure-led redevelopment that provides significant and wide-ranging economic benefits for Morecambe and the wider district.

There was also agreement by 83% of respondents that the council needs to secure a return on its £3million investment to acquire the site, while 90% thought that any development needs to meet or exceed environmental performance standards.

Receiving less support, at 51%, were suggested objectives for a minimal residential component to the overall development and provision of a hotel or similar visitor accommodation.

The next stage is for the Frontierland Project Board, which is overseeing the overall vision for the site, to agree a development brief that will be worked up using the consultation results and comments.

Councillor Phillip Black, leader of Lancaster City Council, said: “I’m grateful to all of those who took the time and trouble to respond to the consultation and give us their views. It’s encouraging to know that we’re along the right lines with our objectives and it gives us confidence that we can move forward and we’ll be using the results to help inform the developer brief.

“The comments we received also provide some very useful context, particularly those around leisure use, which people told us needs to benefit both visitors and residents alike.

“There are exciting times for Morecambe on a number of fronts and we’re determined that the Frontierland site will play a crucial part in the town’s future and its regeneration.”

At three-hectares (7.5 acre) the Frontierland site is the largest development opportunity in central Morecambe for many years.

The full results of the consultation were:1) Deliver a leisure-led redevelopment that matches the architectural quality and aspirations of the best developments along Morecambe’s seafront. 93% agree, 7% disagree.2) Provide significant and wide-ranging economic benefits to Morecambe and the wider district. 93% agree, 7% disagree.3) Secure a return on the council’s investment in acquiring the site to help ensure that wider service provision can be maintained. 83% agree, 17% disagree.4) Provide new purpose-built visitor accommodation for a range of needs and types – e.g. family, luxury budget hotels and serviced- apartments etc. 51% agree, 49% disagree.5) Provide quality leisure uses that will enhance Morecambe’s appeal. 88% agree, 12% disagree.6) Create high-quality flexible public spaces that can host events and festivals. 81% agree, 19% disagree.7) Breathe new life into the frontage on Marine Road West to improve footfall and improve connections through the site to the West End, the town centre, Morrisons, and the railway station. 90% agree, 10% disagree.8) Any development should meet or exceed the environmental performance standards in the council’s emerging Climate Emergency Local Plan. 90% agree, 10% disagree.9) Ensure any effects to town centre businesses are kept to a minimum by only including a modest amount of retail space. 82% agree, 18% disagree.10) To include a minimal residential component to the overall development only if it is necessary to financially support achieving our other objectives. 51% agree, 49% disagree.