PLANS to build hundreds of homes in Barrow have taken a major step forward after councillors agreed to accept nearly £25 million in proposed government funding.

Members of the cabinet for Westmorland and Furness Council unanimously approved proposals to accept £24.8 million of Brownfield, Infrastructure and Land (BIL) funding from Homes England for the development of Marina Village.

The proposed development will consist of 808 new homes, a nature conservation area and new public open spaces. The council say the site will be capable of delivering a mix of housing types to include apartments as well as traditional housing, and both open market and affordable housing.

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The council will now negotiate, finalise and enter a grant funding agreement with Homes England to support with the remediation and other infrastructure works needed for phase two of the site.

Council leader, councillor Jonathan Brook (Kendal South, Lib Dems) said: “The development of Marina Village is strategically significant housing site and a long-standing ambition of Barrow Borough Council and continues to be a high priority for this council.

“This investment is of critical importance to Barrow and indeed the wider Furness peninsula in realising our ambitions as a council to regenerate the town, to support the growth of BAE and to ensure the diversity of high-quality sustainable homes for our residents.”

According to council documents the proposed development will be between Cavendish Dock Road and Salthouse Road on 25 hectares of mostly council owned land. The cabinet also delegated officers to acquire private land by agreement for the facilitation of the housing scheme.

As a last resort, the authority will go back to cabinet members to approve the use of Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs) if an agreement is not made within the time requirements set out by the grant funding agreement.

The cabinet also delegated authority to planning officers to submit an application for outline planning permission for the scheme.

A council report prepared for the cabinet meeting states: “The redevelopment of Barrow’s waterfront was a long-held ambition for Barrow Borough Council spanning more than two decades.

“Success has been realised through the completion of the Waterfront Business Park on Barrow Island, and the attraction of major offshore wind investors to the Port of Barrow, however, progress stalled on the major housing allocation following the 2008 recession and public spending austerity measures.

“Realisation of this element will deliver significant change on the Site itself and deliver wider benefits in terms of investor confidence to the rest of the town.”

Phase one of the development was completed in November which saw the remediation of the first six hectares of land after the scheme secured £5.5 million in funding from the Government’s Getting Building Fund.

Councillors also spoke of the need for the development to be environmentally friendly.

Cabinet member for climate and biodiversity, councillor Giles Archibald (Kendal Strickland and Fell, Lib Dems), said: “We have an opportunity to showcase Barrow as a town which takes the environment seriously. There’s so much going on and so much development work, wouldn’t it be wonderful if Barrow could be a leader in how to regenerate in a biodiverse and environmentally friendly way.”

Members of the cabinet for Westmorland and Furness Council delegated authority to enter into a grant funding agreement with Homes England on Tuesday (January 23) at Barrow Town Hall.