Leader assures residents over Skerton High housing scheme after claims it has "stalled"

The leader of Lancaster City Council says a new housing scheme at Skerton High will go ahead - in response to claims that it had "stalled".

Councillor Caroline Jackson and Green colleagues said they remain committed to their long-term plans to move people living on the Mainway estate to brand new housing at the former high school site.

This was in response to accusations from the Labour group that the Green leadership of the council had "no plan" for Mainway.

Two months ago, Lancaster City Council got planning permission to build 135 new homes on land formerly occupied by the high school, which was demolished last year.

Building on the Skerton High site is the first phase of a long-standing masterplan by the council to transform the ageing Mainway estate.

Built in the 1960s, Mainway was refurbished in 1990, but now requires huge investment to address maintenance issues and make it safe and secure for the future.

Councillor Jackson, speaking at a Lancaster City Council meeting on February 26, said the council is now waiting on government funding to move forward with the plans.

"It needs funding from Homes England to get it off the ground," she told fellow councillors. during her regular leader's report at the full meeting of Lancaster City Council.

"They said they will give the money, we just want them to do it. It's very frustrating for people living in Mainway. There's nowhere for them to go."

Councillor Jean Parr of Labour, who represents Scale Hall ward, said in response: "It seems that Skerton High has stalled.

"This is especially concerning given that most of the residents are eagerly awaiting moving into the relevant properties at Skerton High.

"I am concerned that there is no plan for Mainway at the moment."

Councillor Jackson replied: "I can't tell you when the Labour Government is going to release that money. Council officers are in regular contact with Homes England. As soon as we know there is money, we will be applying for it.

"We need to get Skerton High built so we can take people out of substandard housing and give them new housing.

"The people on Mainway want it to go forward, just as we would.

"When we know, we will rush to do it, I can assure you."

Councillor Phillip Black, Labour leader on the council, then said he feared there might be "an empty estate on Mainway slap bang in the middle of Lancaster" with "no plans to replace these properties".

But his Labour colleague Councillor Robert Redfern, of Skerton (below), said: "I am confident houses will be built on that site."

Councillor Andrew Gardiner, Conservative leader on the council, then asked: "Why do we need to go to the government (for funding)?

"We can sort (Mainway and Skerton High) and bring in some private funding as well. Let's get it sorted, find out what it will cost, bring it back to the council, so we can do up Mainway and rebuild there, so we can supply the quality housing for our residents and people who will come to live in this area in future."

But Councillor Gina Dowding, cabinet member for the Greens, said: "Most of our assets need an enormous amount of investment in them and repairs.

"It's far more complicated than just finding the right developer and making it work.

"Mainway was built 60-odd years ago. It wasn't managed for years, decades, when Labour was in charge.

"Someone should have been planning for the future a long time ago.

"It's very dangerous to talk down Mainway.

"There will be housing and we will make it work. There is absolute commitment to make it work."

As the debate became heated at Morecambe Town Hall, Conservative councillor Keith Budden (below) said: "It's beginning to look like The Muppet Show, let's stop the personal attacks."

Then Green councillor Sally Maddocks said: "We are absolutely committed to going ahead with housing at Skerton High. It will be a terrible thing for our residents to think that it isn't going ahead."

And Councillor Jackson said: "People are getting carried away because of the (upcoming Lancashire County Council elections) in May. I don't think we should use the housing budget as a political football."

The Green and Labour groups on Lancaster City Council fell out last year, after previously forming a coalition cabinet alongside the Liberal Democrats.

The council cabinet is now made up of an alliance of Greens - the largest group on the council - alongside Liberal Democrat and Morecambe Bay Independent councillors.  Labour have formed an opposition group.

Councillor Jackson said after the meeting: "The council remains committed to the positive regeneration of Mainway and the provision of good quality homes for its residents.

“Last year we were delighted to receive planning permission for the Skerton High site, which will enable the delivery of much-needed new homes, but like all large council housing schemes we rely on grant funding from Homes England. We are now awaiting details of the next Affordable Homes England programme so we can submit a funding application and make our ambitious plans a reality.

“As we have throughout the whole process we remain committed to engaging with the community at every step and held an information meeting to update residents on progress. We have also produced a dedicated Mainway newsletter and our MyMainway Hub is open daily for residents to access information. In addition, monthly pop-up events are in the process of being organised to ensure ongoing engagement.”

SKERTON HIGH AND MAINWAY SCHEME - The story so far

Planning permission was given to build 135 new council homes on the site of the former Skerton High School in Lancaster in December 2024.

The council gave permission for the school to be demolished in December 2023, and the bulldozers moved in, in early 2024. 

Lancaster City Council had bought the building in 2023.

Skerton High closed in 2014 after being deemed surplus to requirements by Lancashire County Council due to dwindling pupil numbers.

The new development will include two sets of new apartments, with a central square where residents can meet and socialise, a lawn with cafe style seating around the edge, and an additional community area on the ground floor of one of the apartment buildings.

There will also be three terraces of two, three, and four bedroom houses, children’s play facilities and two new football pitches, complete with changing facilities for players and officials.

The two rows of cherry trees that line the entrance way alongside the playing fields at the front of the site will be retained.

There will also be on-site parking.

The new homes will be affordable social rented accommodation, owned by Lancaster City Council, and with the council as landlord.

This artist's impression shows how the new housing might look.

Other buildings on Mainway will be included in the rest of the project to revamp the entire estate.

The council has said some of these would be council owned, while others may be for private rent, shared ownership, or owned and managed by another housing provider.

In September 2023, Mainway residents told Beyond Radio of their "anger and anxiety" over the housing plan for the area.

They said that residents were moved out of Lune House and Derby House in Skerton on the promise that their homes would be refurbished and then they could go back.

But with the revamp being carried out privately, both blocks would no longer be council-owned, sparking fears that tenants would be priced out of living on Mainway in future.

"The reason we are looking to build new homes on the school site first of all is so that we have homes for existing residents across Mainway to move into to allow us to then develop the other blocks of flats," said a council newsletter, published at the time.

"It is far too soon to discuss the details of either the work that will take place in these future phases or how (residents) might be directly affected."

In 2024, a report revealed that Bridge House on Mainway (below) was being earmarked for closure and residents were likely be moved to temporary accommodation.

The tower block close to the River Lune, which was built in the 1960s, was showing signs of structural failure.

Lancaster City Council said there was no immediate risk to residents, and regular inspections were being carried out, and had been for several years. They said the building was safe, but considered "the most likely to fail" on the estate.

The council said that residents are being kept informed and would have a say on where they would be moved to.

Councillor Jackson said this week: “Cabinet has previously provided approval to move residents out of Bridge House and around half of the building remains occupied. We are working closely with the remaining tenants to keep them informed and support them with appropriate moves to new accommodation."

Consultation was carried out among Mainway tenants between 2020 and 2022, which which found that 70 per cent of tenants were in favour of change on the estate.

The masterplan came about after the council declared a Climate Emergency in 2019 and wanted to ensure that Mainway is ‘future-fit,’ with low and zero carbon homes meeting the highest thermal standards, so residents can enjoy the lowest possible running costs.

Read more: New housing scheme at former Skerton High School given go-ahead - Beyond Radio

Iconic Lancaster high-rise block of flats could be demolished over safety risks - Beyond Radio

Bulldozers move in at former Lancaster high school to clear way for new housing - Beyond Radio

INTERVIEW: Residents speak of "anger and anxiety" over Lancaster housing estate revamp plan - Beyond Radio

Council finally purchase Skerton High School site - Beyond Radio

Next steps announced in Mainway masterplan - Beyond Radio