News

Initial masterplan principles revealed for Canal Corridor North site in Lancaster

Centros, Lancaster City Council’s preferred developer for the Canal Corridor North site, has revealed the key principles behind its emerging masterplan for the site.

Central to the scheme is a new pedestrian route through the site, linking Lancaster Canal to the city centre through a series of open public spaces towards Stonewell, where a new pedestrian bridge will link the site with the city centre, hopefully, through St Nicholas Arcades. Further routes across the site will make the area completely pedestrianised, with the existing minor roads being closed.

Areas of the site have also been identified for particular uses. These include residential areas and green space near Alfred Street and the canal, a new department store and a variety of new shops in the central area leading towards Stonewell, plus cultural and leisure uses – including cafés and restaurants – supporting and linking the Dukes and Grand theatres. A multi-level car park (much of it below ground) – will replace the existing parking. The form of the building will take advantage of the changing levels of the site to minimise its size and this will be accessed form St Leonards Gate.

David Lewis, Associate Director of Centros, explained: “Having listened to everyone’s views in our first round of meetings, we have now put forward the key principles and concepts for how the site may best be developed – and we are now seeking feedback from the public on this before we move to the next stage.”
The principles outlined include:

• A fully permeable, pedestrian-friendly development focused on a central route from the canal towards Stonewell
  
• A new pedestrian bridge over Stonewell to provide level access into the city centre through St Nicholas Arcades
  
• A series of open spaces of varying nature, including green space and hard landscaping
  
• An ‘open streets’ approach with a range of separate buildings
  
• Leisure uses – restaurants and cafés – around an open space next to the canal
  
• Residential elements close to the canal and Alfred Street
  
• Enhanced cultural and leisure uses around the Dukes and Grand theatres and St Leonards Gate
  
• New premises for the Musician’s Co-operative, further enhancing the cultural strength of the are A department store and a variety of new retail units
  
• Multi-level parking with access off St Leonards Gate
  
• Offices and small workshops on Moor Lane and St Leonards Gate

David Lewis added: “Our initial concept for the masterplan aims to produce a mixed-use development that will not only fulfil the Council’s planning brief, but will also fulfil local people’s aspirations for the site. Our recent survey of people in the city centre demonstrated high support for a mixed-use scheme incorporating enhanced cultural and leisure facilities, new varied public open space, a department store and improved retail and residential uses. The feedback we are also getting from our separate survey of local residents also supports those desires.

“Traffic, of course, will be a major issue and we are currently undertaking full traffic counts and parking surveys to establish the current traffic and parking patterns. We believe that some key improvements to roads and junctions away from the site will enhance access to the city centre and the car park on the site will be able to intercept much of the traffic presently circulating on the inner ring road – and this proposal will be tested once we have all the traffic data.

“We also aim to preserve many of the buildings around the edge of the site, and ensure that views across the city are maintained. In addition, we are already in discussions with many of the owners and occupiers of buildings on the site to see if we can either offer them new premises within the scheme or relocate them within the area. We are also in discussions with the owners of St Nicholas Arcades.”

15th February 2006