Morecambe awaits crucial Frontierland decision as council considers 14 proposals for its future

Lancaster City Council confirmed they had received 14 expressions of interest but are not providing any more information on what they contain at this stage.

A spokesman for Lancaster City Council said: “They are in the process of being considered.”

The call for expressions of interest is now closed, and the council will now make a decision on how to proceed with the development of the former Wild West theme park.

Since buying the land from Morrison's for just over £3m, Lancaster City Council has twice called for potential developers of the site to come forward with ideas.

Lancaster City Council has said that most of the expressions of interest in the first round of bids were housing-led, with a hotel and leisure component.

The city council then asked specifically for leisure-based proposals in the second round.

On Thursday Morecambe Town Council who submitted a proposal for a ‘community asset with indoor and outdoor facilities including parkland, entertainment and educational facilities, play areas and a performance area". decided to pull out of the process.

Earlier this month Lancaster City Council teased that there could be a big announcement for plans for Frontierland in Morecambe in the coming months.

Councillor Philip Black, leader of Lancaster City Council said: “Expressions of Interest to develop the site were received earlier this year and we are excited to be furthering our plans for the site in the coming months.”

Lancaster City Council acquired the site of the former theme park from Morrisons in 2021.

Located close to the Midland Hotel and the proposed £125m Eden Project North, the 7.4-acre Frontierland site has been vacant since the theme park closed in 1999.

Several redevelopment attempts have come and gone in the intervening 23 years.

Most recently, developer Opus North won approval for a £17m mixed-use scheme known as Bay Shopping Park in 2014.

However, the project never materialised and planning consent has now expired.

The city council are looking to replace the existing hoarding at the Frontierland site with metal hoarding in the coming months due to safety concerns, they said.