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Lancaster City Council Launches Market Engagement Exercise for St Leonard's Gate Upper and Lower Car Parks

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Lancaster City Council has initiated an early market engagement exercise for the 0.9-hectare St Leonard's Gate upper and lower car parks as part of plans to create new affordable housing for local people. The exercise is designed to test market interest from organizations that can work in partnership with the council to deliver affordable and social housing. The council aims to ensure that any future development is structured to meet its objectives, but has committed to not proceeding with development until actions outlined in its Lancaster City Centre Car Parking Strategy are implemented. The market engagement will run until October 17, and the earliest construction could start on the site is 2027.

Key Takeaways:

  • The market engagement exercise aims to test market interest from organizations with the appetite and ability to work in partnership with the council to deliver affordable and social housing.
  • The exercise will shape how any future formal development opportunity could potentially be structured to meet the council's objectives.
  • The council has committed to ensuring that no development will take place until actions set out in its Lancaster City Centre Car Parking Strategy are delivered.
  • Concerns have been raised among business owners and traders in the city centre, who fear that increased housing and less focus on parking facilities could lead to shoppers looking elsewhere.
  • Long-standing businessman Paul Cusimano has expressed his concerns about the potential impact on the city centre's future.
  • Coun Peter Jackson has emphasized that the regeneration of the Canal Quarter is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape a key part of the city and provide much-needed affordable housing.

Statistics:

  • The St Leonard's Gate upper and lower car parks cover an area of 0.9 hectares.
  • The market engagement exercise will run until October 17.
  • The earliest that construction could start on the St Leonard's Gate site is 2027.

Sources:

(Lancaster Guardian)

  • "Lancaster Council to begin early work on St Leonard's Gate site" (no date given)
  • "Businessman shares fears for city centre's future amid concerns over lack of parking" (no date given)

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