Property round-up: Frontierland; Oval Real Estate; Royal Oak Hotel; Illingworth Ingham
Lancaster City Council is seeking interested parties to help it kickstart the regeneration of the former Frontierland site in Morecambe.
The council bought the site, which has been derelict since closing as a theme park more than 20 years ago, in 2021 after a number of failed redevelopment attempts by the private sector.
It is now asking interested parties to submit proposals for how the site could be redeveloped.
Cllr Tricia Heath, cabinet member with responsibility for economic recovery, said: “The Frontierland site is a key site for the renaissance of Morecambe and finding a solution for it is one of the council’s key priorities.
“We are keen to ensure that we examine all the available options so we can make a fully informed decision. Through this expression of interest process we will be able to determine the level of interest in the site, which, for the right developer, represents an amazing opportunity.”
She added: “This is very much the first stage on what promises to be an exciting journey of developing proposals which will benefit the local community and returning the site to productive use after so many years of dereliction.”
Ahead of any formal proposals coming forward, the council has appointed contractors to make the site safe and secure and to re-level the land. The work is expected to take around a month.
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Plans for the Albert Bridge site
National regeneration specialist, Oval Real Estate, has launched a public consultation on its emerging plans to redevelop the Albert Bridge House site on Bridge Street in Manchester city centre, and create a welcoming, sustainable new destination.
The site is located between Bridge Street, the River Irwell, St Mary’s Parsonage and Trinity Bridge, and includes Albert Bridge House – the 18-storey office building currently occupied by HMRC – as well as the adjacent Bridge Street car park.
Manchester City Council listed the site as one of the most significant redevelopment opportunities within the St Mary’s Parsonage Strategic Regeneration Framework (SRF), which was endorsed in 2020. Located on key access routes between Deansgate, Spinningfields and Salford, the SRF identified the opportunity for a high density commercial-led development to rejuvenate this overlooked corner of the city centre and mark an important gateway into Manchester.
Although Oval places a strong emphasis on renovating and repurposing existing buildings, the plans for the Albert Bridge House site have always envisaged the replacement of the existing buildings on the site. Albert Bridge House was purpose-built in the 1950s as a tax office and, with HMRC vacating later this year, the building has come to the end of its logical lifespan.
The complete redevelopment of the site presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reimagine this key location, especially by opening up access to the riverside and creating high quality new public realm.
Working with Studio Egret West, Oval has adopted a design approach which looks to sensitively position two new buildings within the site.
A new sustainable office building would provide around 350,000 sq ft of high quality and flexible workspace, designed to meet the needs of a range of occupiers. Nineteen storeys at its highest, the office building employs a radical stepped design, with a cascade of green terraces and rooftop spaces to create a unique façade.
A taller, landmark residential tower would be positioned at the southern end of the site. Providing 367 new build-to-rent homes, the hexagonally-designed building would step up from 34 to 45 storeys in height, and would help to meet the continued high demand for city centre living.
At the ground floor, there would be spaces for shops, cafés or restaurants, helping to attract footfall to this burgeoning part of the city centre and making the most of the reinvigorated riverside environment.
James Craig, founding partner of Oval Real Estate, said: “Our developments are always design-led, and we have been clear from the start about the level of ambition needed for such a prestigious site. We’re confident these architecturally-leading new buildings will add something completely different to the Manchester skyline and create a welcoming and sustainable new destination for the city.
“As a business, we specialise in bringing overlooked spaces back into the limelight and that is exactly what we aim to do here – our plans look to revitalise the site’s riverfront setting and create exceptional new public realm to be enjoyed by new and existing members of the community. As part of this consultation process, we’re excited to share our plans with the Manchester public and are looking forward to hearing their thoughts.”
The consultation will be open until Sunday, October 9.
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Royal Oak Hotel
The new owners of an historic Lake District hotel have unveiled the new-look retreat in the Borrowdale Valley to guests following a £1.3m investment.
Dating back to the 1750s, the Royal Oak at Rosthwaite is a former farm and miners’ tavern located on the coast to coast route near Keswick, the renowned long distance walking route, just earmarked as the UK’s newest National Trail.
The now 23-bedroom hotel and restaurant has been a popular spot for visitors and walkers alike for many years, with the previous owners at the helm for the past half a century.
The Royal Oak has now undergone an eight-month makeover with the arrival of Nick Wyatt and Matthew Welbourn, who have put a strong emphasis on collaborating with local artisans and suppliers to maintain a distinctly Lake District personality for the peaceful, luxury hideaway.
Refurbishment work has uncovered a variety of historic features, from original beams and fireplaces to a name etched into a window when the building was a Temperance Hall back in the 1920s. Meanwhile, the new interiors have been carefully crafted for a stylish, natural and authentic feel, including reclaimed furniture, soft woollen curtains and bespoke carpets.
Eco-friendly innovations have also been a top priority, with examples including handmade local soap and reconstituted plastic bottles being used to create feather-like, vegan down for all the pillows and duvets.
Matthew Welbourn said: “The Royal Oak is a quintessential Lakeland hotel in the heart of the Lake District National Park. The previous owners did a fantastic job in building a loyal customer base over an impressive five decades and our aim is to stay true to the heritage of the property by offering a truly authentic local experience.”
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A Manchester-based timber merchant is set for branch expansion with the support of six-figure funding from HSBC UK.
Illingworth Ingham has used the funding package to acquire a new 20,051 sq ft site in Clitheroe, Lancashire.
The new site will become one of seven operated by Illingworth Ingham in the North West, allowing the family-owned business to reach new markets across the UK.
As a result of the HSBC UK funded acquisition, Illingworth Ingham is anticipating the creation of multiple new jobs, an improvement of customer service and an increase in sales over the next 12 months.
Adrian Thornley, branch development manager at Illingworth Ingham, said: “This is a very exciting time as we add another site to our existing portfolio. As a dedicated family business, with over 90 years of industry experience, we hope to focus on enhancing our facilities to create the best service for our new and existing customer base.”
David Edwards, relationship director at HSBC UK, said: “Illingworth Ingham is an experienced family-ran business with a genuine passion for delivering a memorable service for its customers.”
Founded in 1929, Illingworth Ingham operates with more than 150,000 sq ft of warehousing and its own transport fleet to provide daily deliveries to clients across the UK.
