The public are being invited to have their say on a major residential development in Barrow. 

Westmorland and Furness Council has outlined its vision for the 25-hectare Marina Village site which will be located in the heart of the town. 

The consultation process will also include businesses and key stakeholders which includes Natural England, Environment Agency, Associated British Ports and BAE Systems.

It will also encompass the relevant service areas of the council including Education and Highways.

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Located in the heart of the town, the project aims to create a unique sustainable, urban residential neighbourhood at a dockside site set within a 'sustainable network of vibrant and natural spaces'.

When complete, the site will provide 808 new homes,  a nature conservation area and new public open spaces.

Councillor Virginia Taylor, Cabinet member for Sustainable Communities and Localities, said: "This flagship project will unlock this former industrial land and see it transformed into a thriving residential community in the centre of Barrow in the best way possible for residents, for the town as a whole, and for future generations – including looking after the planet for them as much as we can.

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"It is one of the council's biggest schemes and tremendously important for Barrow, Westmorland and Furness and beyond. We are putting the mechanisms in place to ensure it is developed in the best way possible for residents and the town as a whole, and residents must play a key part in letting us know their views on the site's future.

"Residents must play a key part in letting us know their views on the site's future. I urge as many people as possible to engage with the consultation process or visit the drop-in session at The Forum on 10 September."

(Image: Westmorland and Furness council)) With the first six-hectare phase of the site ready for development, work is set to start on preparing the second phase of 19 hectares, supported by £24.8 million of Brownfield, Infrastructure and Land (BIL) funding of from Homes England.

Running alongside that work, Westmorland and Furness Council is also preparing a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD).

Consultation has previously taken place as part of the preparation of the Local Plan, which includes the Marina Village site as a housing allocation

More recently, further engagement has also taken place with infrastructure and service providers specific to the Marina Village site with feedback informing the draft SPD.