The government has recently announced the locations of 14 ‘garden villages’ to be built across the country, which includes Bailrigg. The developments are set to provide between 1,500 and 10,000 homes dependant on location.
Bailrigg is the area where Lancaster University sits, but it remains to be seen where exactly the housing will go. It would seem unlikely that the village would be erected close to the university, as they do not appear to be designed for students, but space is not unlimited in the area.
The development may be built on the other side of the A6 to Lancaster University, since the university is already sandwiched between Hala and Galgate.
Housing Minister Gavin Barwell said that this won’t just be polyfilla fix to housing problems. “The whole programme is about trying to make sure that at the outset we design in the sort of crucial community infrastructure – the jobs, but also school places, GPs’ surgeries, the transport infrastructure,” he said.
Whilst that has been some discontent in some areas, Lancaster University seem to have welcomed the move. Vice-Chancellor Mark E. Smith said “The University is pleased to be working in close partnership with Lancaster City Council to develop a masterplan for this exciting garden village opportunity for the Lancaster community.”
The city council are also enthusiastic, seeing this as a ‘once in a generation opportunity’ to spread Lancaster’s community. Other towns and villages outlined include St Cuthberts, Cumbria; Halsnead, Merseyside; and Handforth, Cheshire.
