Barrow borough master plan aims for 'thriving economy' and has potential for 2,000 new homes by 2031

Barrow Borough Local Plan sets out to improve the quality of life for people, including tackling issues such as the lack of housing choice for existing residents and the need to attract highly skilled workers.

Barrow Borough Council wants address the declining population by retaining residents and attracting new people to the area.

The local plan identifies proposed development sites, 35 for housing, 10 for employment, five for regeneration and associated infrastructure.

Evidence suggests an extra 2,261 new homes will be needed by 2031.

One of the council's priorities is the Marina Village, where 650 homes are intended to be built.

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The plan says the vision for the borough by 2031 is to be "a place where a thriving, diverse economy is supporting strong, inclusive, active communities".

The document continues: "There will be an improved housing offer, where everyone has access to a decent home, education, skills and job opportunities. There will be high quality open spaces and leisure facilities and vibrant town centres with a strong retail offer.

"The built and historic environment will be of a high quality and heritage assets will be protected and enhanced. Health and wellbeing will have improved in the borough and the natural environment, landscape and soils will be protected and enhanced.

Resources will be managed sustainably and waste and pollution minimised."

Councillor Dave Pidduck, the leader of Barrow Borough Council said: "This is a massive plan. "We are planning for the long-term, our main interest has to be the economic stability of the borough. We have to invest to make sure we have what we need for the future."

The plan looks at the benefits to the economy from BAE Systems' Dreadnought programme, which includes site developments and employment, and other developments such as the offshore windfarms.

Cllr Pidduck said: "The economic wealth that is being generated, and will be generated in the borough going forward over the next 20 years, for us it is a once in a life time opportunity. We have to make sure that wealth develops in such a way that it delivers the health and wellbeing, the housing and more. It is the economic challenge for us, we can't do it on our own we need to do that with our partners."

Mr Pidduck said he wants people earning their living in the borough and live there too. He said: "It's a fantastic area. As a borough we have excellent schools, a fairly low crime rate, and great assets.

"Barrow borough is special, but we don't sell ourselves enough."

Alongside housing, the plan looks to protect open spaces, heritage, boosting the Barrow and Dalton town centres, retail and tourism.

The plan sets out the many challenges ahead, including the need to improve the infrastructure for roads and rail.

Helen Houston, a senior planning officer at Barrow Borough Council who has led the officers on the local plan, said: "Although there are 35 housing sites and 10 employment sites proposed, we are also proposing to protect land in the borough for health and wellbeing.

"All the housing sites are assessed on how they affect heritage, open spaces, landscape and biodiversity, and some sites were ruled out on those grounds.

"When encouraging people to live and work here, it is not just about housing and employment, it is everything factored in, nice places to eat, shop and spend time.

"This is an aspirational plan. We don't want the decline in population trend to continue."

The council is consulting the public on the pre-submission draft of the local plan until July 7.

The full plans and feedback forms are available through the council's website, or at Barrow Town Hall, Dalton Town Hall and all libraries in the borough.

There are also the following public events; Today (Monday June 5) – 1pm to 6pm, Dalton Drill Hall, Nelson St, Dalton; Thursday June 15 – 3pm to 6pm, Askam Community Centre, Duke St, Askam; Wednesday June 21 – 10am to 1pm, The Forum, Barrow; Wednesday June 28 – 10am to 4pm, The Forum, Barrow.

This is the fourth draft of the plan and it is to be submitted for independent examination.

Barrow Borough Local Plan looks at key areas for the borough between now and 2031.

They include:

Housing

There will be a wide choice of good quality housing for current and future residents, which meets local needs and aspirations throughout the borough, to encourage inward investment and to attract and retain a high quality workforce.

Good quality housing will also enable improved health, reduced crime and greater fuel efficiency. Neighbourhoods will be safe, clean and sustainable with healthy, highly skilled and diverse communities.

There is a borough-wide housing target of creating at least 133 additional houses per year over the plan period 2014/15 to 2030/31. This equates to an overall housing requirement over the plan period of at least 2,261.

Of the 35 allocated housing site, 17 in Barrow and Walney, 10 in Dalton, six in Askam and Ireleth, one in Lindal and one in Newton.

Employment sites

The council has proposed 10 employment sites.

Seven are in Barrow, one is on Walney and two are in Dalton.

Regeneration opportunity Areas

Land has been identified as 'Opportunity Areas', suitable for a mix of housing, culture, leisure, open space and tourism development sensitive to its location and surrounding land uses.

They are;

* Land at Channelside

* Former Golf Driving Range, Walney Road

* Salthouse Mills

* Land at Phoenix Road

* Former Kwik Save, Holker Street, Barrow

Retail

Barrow and Dalton town centres will be vibrant with a variety of retail and non-retail offers.

Town centres will be viewed as attractive, safe and sustainable places to live.

Arts, culture and heritage throughout the borough will have been enhanced to improve well-being and further diversify the local economy.

Promoting Healthy Communities

Health is linked closely to where people live, learn, work and play. The health and well-being of the borough’s population will be improved over the plan period, through measures aimed at reducing health inequalities, improving access to healthier food, reducing obesity through improved access to physical activity, encouraging walking and cycling, and improved air quality. Higher education provision will be expanded, generating a culture of learning that is attractive and accessible to all. Educational attainment for children and young people will be increased.

Heritage

The borough’s attractive historic character and heritage assets will be protected and enhanced. Only development of high quality will be accepted in order to improve the built environment and foster civic pride.

Infrastructure

The borough will be well connected. New development will provide for the infrastructure and facilities which are necessary to support and serve it, and to mitigate any loss or impact to the local area which may result from development. Existing facilities will be protected and, where appropriate, enhanced. Sustainable travel will be encouraged.

Natural Environment

The borough’s natural environment and landscape, including international and national designated nature conservation sites, will be protected and enhanced for their own sake and as key assets for drawing people to the area, and access will have improved.

Biodiversity will have been enhanced and protected from unsympathetic development. Coastal defences will have been improved and their associated recreational and environmental benefits realised, whilst bathing water quality will be protected and enhanced.