The Waterfront Barrow-in-Furness
Encyclopedia
The Waterfront Barrow-in-Furness is a £200 million development currently under construction in and around the Port of
Barrow
, North West England
. The site covers an area of some 400 acres (161.9 ha) and is due for completion in 2020. The internal road network is already complete, with construction of a large business park complex already under way and work on a 400-berth marina and Marina Village due to start thereafter. In 2010, The Waterfront Barrow-in-Furness ranked as the ninetieth most costly regeneration project in the United Kingdom by Regeneration & Renewal. As of July 2010, work on the development has been temporarily halted due to complications with funds.
For years large parts of the port of Barrow and Barrow Island in general were run down and neglected, masterplans were drawn up for a new multi-million pound development that would bring new life to the area. Companies such as Cumbria Vision, West Lakes Renaissance, Barrow Borough Council and the Northwest Regional Development Agency
soon became involved as what was seen an amazing opportunity to raise Barrow's status by cementing it even further as the primary gateway into the Lake District
as well as bringing new business to the area which is seen as Britain's 'Energy Coast'. This is due to the large number of local producers of energy including Barrow Offshore Wind
, Rampside Gas Terminal
, Roosecote Power Station
and Sellafield
.
Dozens of companies are currently involved in the development and construction of the site. Marketing is being led by the main developer, Furness Enterprise although it is also supported by SLPR, Bluepole and HSP Milners. Capita Symonds
is the design consultant, whilst the lead contractor comes in the form of Carillion. Some local Sub Contractors include: Mike Marsh Plant Hire, Deltawaite, Neil Price and Simmonds. In July 2010 there were concerns that the project could be put on hold or scrapped all together due to lack of funds as a result of government cutbacks
, however plans soon emerged to go ahead with the Marina Village and fund the marina itself with receipts from property sales within the village, although this isn't expected to commence until possibly 2012.
include the likes of Associated British Ports Holdings
, BAE Systems Submarine Solutions, James Fisher & Sons
, Centrica
and British Nuclear Group to name a few. The business parks are expected to create between 1,500 and 2,000 new jobs and contribute greatly to the local economy.
via sea. Numerous cruise ship
s have called at the port of Barrow in recent years for passengers to visit the Lake District as well as numerous more local sites such as Furness Abbey
and the Dock Museum
. However part of the waterfront development is to build a designated cruise ship terminal which will have facilities to handle such vessels any time of the year, and will encourage a considerably larger number of ships to visit the port. Currently the only other cruise ship terminal on the north west coast of England is in Liverpool
. The initiative is being led by Cumbria Tourism which has so far invested £9 million into the project. In July 2010, plans for the cruise ship terminal were put on hold until there is actual significant demand to accommodate larger vessels at the port. It is the only part of The Waterfront development that has been effectively 'scrapped', as more focus is placed upon the marina and marina village.
in Barrow. However after it was approved, interest soared even further. Eight sailing clubs reported immediate demand for berths and winter storage. The new marina will come at a cost of £8 million and will be able to accommodate up to 400 privately owned boats at any one time. An overland boat lift has also been proposed with access for up to six boats simultaneously, with 24 hour a day access. Marina berths will be located on the mainland side of Buccleuch Dock, whilst further berths will be situated on the Barrow Island side of Ramsden Dock. Work is due to begin on the marina sometime in between 2010 and 2011.
s, shop
s and restaurant
s. There will be a main village square alongside the actual waterfront with a number of smaller squares, public spaces and playground being located throughout the rest of the complex. A large athletics track is also earmarked for construction, with the possibility of a large multi-purpose stadium
that could be used as the joint home ground for Barrow A.F.C.
and Barrow Raiders
- currently at Holker Street
and Craven Park
respectively.
A new landmark footbridge across Buccluech Dock is also part of the Marina Village development, currently the only other crossing over the dock is Michaelson Road Bridge
. The planned pedestrian footbridge will serve as the most iconic piece within the waterfront development and will connect south Marina Village to the Ramsden Dock marina service area and business park complex.
nature reserve
is to be formed to the very north of the waterfront development. There are already two famed nature reserves in Barrow, however both are on Walney Island
. Cavendish Dock is currently used as a reservoir for Roosecote Power Station
, this has in turn raised the water temperature within the Dock and created an environment of unique ecological interest. £2 million is to be invested into creating the nature reserve, whilst Cumbria County Council has been made responsible for landscaping the surrounding area.
Bridge Road connects the waterfront development to the A590
and eventually Junction 36 of the M6 motorway
. Besides road transport, the site is also in close proximity to Barrow-in-Furness
and Roose railway station
s. Barrow/Walney Island Airport also serves Barrow, however is used primarily by BAE Systems. The nearest international airports to the waterfront development include Blackpool International Airport, Manchester Airport and Liverpool John Lennon Airport
.
. The water sports centre which forms part of the waterfront will be located on the northern side of Ramsden Dock and will cater for canoeing, sailing, wind-surfing and of course power boat racing.
Port of Barrow
The Port of Barrow refers to the enclosed dock system within the town of Barrow-in-Furness, England. Morecambe Bay is to the east of the port and the Irish Sea surrounds it to the south and west...
Barrow
Barrow-in-Furness
Barrow-in-Furness is an industrial town and seaport which forms about half the territory of the wider Borough of Barrow-in-Furness in the county of Cumbria, England. It lies north of Liverpool, northwest of Manchester and southwest from the county town of Carlisle...
, North West England
North West England
North West England, informally known as The North West, is one of the nine official regions of England.North West England had a 2006 estimated population of 6,853,201 the third most populated region after London and the South East...
. The site covers an area of some 400 acres (161.9 ha) and is due for completion in 2020. The internal road network is already complete, with construction of a large business park complex already under way and work on a 400-berth marina and Marina Village due to start thereafter. In 2010, The Waterfront Barrow-in-Furness ranked as the ninetieth most costly regeneration project in the United Kingdom by Regeneration & Renewal. As of July 2010, work on the development has been temporarily halted due to complications with funds.
Background and history
A 400 berth marina is planned for Buccleuch Dock and the Barrow Island side of Ramsden Dock. The Marina Village which will be located between Buccleuch and Cavendish Docks will contain some 600 homes, as well as numerous shops, restaurants and hotels. A multi-purpose stadium has also been proposed to occupy the eastern part of the Marina Village. This stage of the waterfront is due for completion in late 2020. A large business park on Barrow Island is expected to be the first part of the Waterfront to be fully completed. A watersports centre and wetland area to the north of Cavendish Dock are two other aspects of the development, alongside a new landmark footbridge over Bucleuch Dock to accompany the already functioning Michaelson Road bridge. However the most beneficial aspect of the Waterfront to Barrow's status as a port town is the proposed cruise ship terminal, numerous ocean liners have visited Barrow over recent years, but a designated purpose-built terminal building is hoped to significantly increase the number of liners that visit the town.For years large parts of the port of Barrow and Barrow Island in general were run down and neglected, masterplans were drawn up for a new multi-million pound development that would bring new life to the area. Companies such as Cumbria Vision, West Lakes Renaissance, Barrow Borough Council and the Northwest Regional Development Agency
Northwest Regional Development Agency
The Northwest Regional Development Agency is the regional development agency for the North West England region and is a non-departmental public body.....
soon became involved as what was seen an amazing opportunity to raise Barrow's status by cementing it even further as the primary gateway into the Lake District
Lake District
The Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...
as well as bringing new business to the area which is seen as Britain's 'Energy Coast'. This is due to the large number of local producers of energy including Barrow Offshore Wind
Barrow Offshore Wind
The Barrow Offshore Wind Farm is an offshore wind farm in the East Irish Sea approximately south west of Walney Island, near Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England, with an installed capacity of 90 MW. The 30 turbine wind farm was completed in June 2006 and first power was generated in...
, Rampside Gas Terminal
Rampside Gas Terminal
Rampside Gas Terminal is a gas terminal situated in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria on the Irish Sea coast. It connects to gas fields in Morecambe Bay.-History:...
, Roosecote Power Station
Roosecote Power Station
Roosecote Power Station is a gas-fired and former coal-fired power station, situated in the Roosecote district of Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria, North West England. The current gas-fired station was the first CCGT power station to supply electricity to the United Kingdom's National Grid.-Coal-fired...
and Sellafield
Sellafield
Sellafield is a nuclear reprocessing site, close to the village of Seascale on the coast of the Irish Sea in Cumbria, England. The site is served by Sellafield railway station. Sellafield is an off-shoot from the original nuclear reactor site at Windscale which is currently undergoing...
.
Current progress
The Waterfront development was put before public viewing to much praise, and the huge new settlement was approved for construction in 2007, with work beginning clearing the site the same year. As of March 2010, the business parks are currently under construction with the new road network and all transportation links having been complete already (see Transportation section).Dozens of companies are currently involved in the development and construction of the site. Marketing is being led by the main developer, Furness Enterprise although it is also supported by SLPR, Bluepole and HSP Milners. Capita Symonds
Capita Symonds
Capita Symonds is part of the Capita Group.Capita Symonds is a large UK multidisciplinary consultancy operating in the building design, civil engineering, environment, management and transport sectors....
is the design consultant, whilst the lead contractor comes in the form of Carillion. Some local Sub Contractors include: Mike Marsh Plant Hire, Deltawaite, Neil Price and Simmonds. In July 2010 there were concerns that the project could be put on hold or scrapped all together due to lack of funds as a result of government cutbacks
June 2010 United Kingdom Budget
The June 2010 United Kingdom Budget, officially known as 2010 Budget - Responsibility, freedom, fairness: a five year plan to re-build the economy, was delivered by George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer, to the House of Commons in his budget speech that commenced at about 12.30 p.m on Tuesday...
, however plans soon emerged to go ahead with the Marina Village and fund the marina itself with receipts from property sales within the village, although this isn't expected to commence until possibly 2012.
Business parks
There is a heavy focus on bringing new business to the area, and three business parks are to form a large part of the overall development. The waterfront business parks are proposed to cover a total land area of 23 hectares. The first of the business parks (Ramsden Business Park) to be built will cover an area of 8.39 hectares, and will consist of four plots ranging in floorspace from 2050 sq m to 8400 sq m. St Andrews Business Park and Anchor Line Business Park will fllow thereafter, however the exact figures and information about facilities are yet to be provided by the developer. Early estimates project each acre on the business park complex come to a cost of £100,000. Companies that also have offices and a strong presence in and around the Port of BarrowPort of Barrow
The Port of Barrow refers to the enclosed dock system within the town of Barrow-in-Furness, England. Morecambe Bay is to the east of the port and the Irish Sea surrounds it to the south and west...
include the likes of Associated British Ports Holdings
Associated British Ports Holdings
Associated British Ports Holdings Ltd owns and operates 21 ports in the United Kingdom, managing around 25 per cent of the UK's sea-borne trade...
, BAE Systems Submarine Solutions, James Fisher & Sons
James Fisher & Sons
James Fisher & Sons plc is a large British provider of marine engineering services. The Company is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a former constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.-History:...
, Centrica
Centrica
Centrica plc is a multinational utility company, based in the United Kingdom but also with interests in North America. Centrica is the largest supplier of gas to domestic customers in the UK, and one of the largest suppliers of electricity, operating under the trading names "Scottish Gas" in...
and British Nuclear Group to name a few. The business parks are expected to create between 1,500 and 2,000 new jobs and contribute greatly to the local economy.
Cruise ship terminal
Due to Barrow's proximity to the Lake District, it is seen as the principal gateway to the world famous national parkNational park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
via sea. Numerous cruise ship
Cruise ship
A cruise ship or cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are part of the experience, as well as the different destinations along the way...
s have called at the port of Barrow in recent years for passengers to visit the Lake District as well as numerous more local sites such as Furness Abbey
Furness Abbey
Furness Abbey, or St. Mary of Furness is a former monastery situated on the outskirts of the English town of Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. The abbey dates back to 1123 and was once the second wealthiest and most powerful Cistercian monastery in the country, behind only Fountains Abbey in North...
and the Dock Museum
Dock Museum
The Dock Museum is situated in the town of Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England. Its exhibits are largely based around the history of the town, heavily focusing on the shipbuilding industry at VSEL , the steelworks industry — of which Barrow once had the world's largest and the World War II bombings...
. However part of the waterfront development is to build a designated cruise ship terminal which will have facilities to handle such vessels any time of the year, and will encourage a considerably larger number of ships to visit the port. Currently the only other cruise ship terminal on the north west coast of England is in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. The initiative is being led by Cumbria Tourism which has so far invested £9 million into the project. In July 2010, plans for the cruise ship terminal were put on hold until there is actual significant demand to accommodate larger vessels at the port. It is the only part of The Waterfront development that has been effectively 'scrapped', as more focus is placed upon the marina and marina village.
| Cruise ships that have called at the port of Barrow in recent times |
|---|
|
Marina
Even before the waterfront development was proposed, there was huge demand for a new marinaMarina
A marina is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo from freighters....
in Barrow. However after it was approved, interest soared even further. Eight sailing clubs reported immediate demand for berths and winter storage. The new marina will come at a cost of £8 million and will be able to accommodate up to 400 privately owned boats at any one time. An overland boat lift has also been proposed with access for up to six boats simultaneously, with 24 hour a day access. Marina berths will be located on the mainland side of Buccleuch Dock, whilst further berths will be situated on the Barrow Island side of Ramsden Dock. Work is due to begin on the marina sometime in between 2010 and 2011.
Marina Village
The Marina Village is one of the most ambitious areas of the development. The new settlement will be home to 650 houses of varying styles and sizes (some of which can be seen in the gallery below). Based upon the average 2.5 persons per household in the UK, Marina Village will add approximately 1,500 to the local population. The village will cover an area of 18 hectares, and besides the residential buildings, will also contain a number of hotelHotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
s, shop
Retail
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
s and restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
s. There will be a main village square alongside the actual waterfront with a number of smaller squares, public spaces and playground being located throughout the rest of the complex. A large athletics track is also earmarked for construction, with the possibility of a large multi-purpose stadium
Multi-purpose stadium
Multi-purpose stadiums are a type of stadium designed in such a way as to be easily used by multiple sports. While any stadium could potentially host more than one sport, this concept usually refers to a specific design philosophy that stresses multi-functionality over specificity...
that could be used as the joint home ground for Barrow A.F.C.
Barrow A.F.C.
Barrow A.F.C. are an English football club founded in 1901 based in the town of Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria. Following promotion at the end of the 2007–08 season, they currently play in the Conference National. The club spent over fifty years in the Football League between 1921 and 1972, and have...
and Barrow Raiders
Barrow Raiders
Barrow Raiders are an English professional rugby league team from Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, who are coached by Dave Clark. Formed in 1875 as Barrow Football Club, the club is the oldest of the current professional sports teams in Cumbria....
- currently at Holker Street
Holker Street
Holker Street, also known as the Furness Building Society Stadium for sponsorship purposes, is a sports stadium located in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England. Currently and originally used as a football ground, it has also previously been used for speedways races...
and Craven Park
Craven Park (Barrow)
Craven Park is a rugby league stadium in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England. It is the home of Barrow Raiders rugby league team.Craven Park was built in 1931, largely as a result of the efforts of supporters of Barrow RLFC, 500 of whom volunteered to construct the ground...
respectively.
A new landmark footbridge across Buccluech Dock is also part of the Marina Village development, currently the only other crossing over the dock is Michaelson Road Bridge
Michaelson Road Bridge
Michaelson Road Bridge is a road bridge connecting Central Barrow to Barrow Island in south Cumbria, England. It was constructed between 1800 and 1884 and is the shortest but oldest of the town's two main road bridges. It was built at a time when Barrow Island was actually an island at there was...
. The planned pedestrian footbridge will serve as the most iconic piece within the waterfront development and will connect south Marina Village to the Ramsden Dock marina service area and business park complex.
Nature reserve
A new wetlandWetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
nature reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
is to be formed to the very north of the waterfront development. There are already two famed nature reserves in Barrow, however both are on Walney Island
Walney Island
The Isle of Walney, also known as Walney Island, is an island in the United Kingdom which lies off the west coast of England, at the northern tip of Morecambe Bay. It forms part of the Borough of Barrow-in-Furness, and it is separated from the mainland at Barrow by Walney Channel, a narrow channel...
. Cavendish Dock is currently used as a reservoir for Roosecote Power Station
Roosecote Power Station
Roosecote Power Station is a gas-fired and former coal-fired power station, situated in the Roosecote district of Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria, North West England. The current gas-fired station was the first CCGT power station to supply electricity to the United Kingdom's National Grid.-Coal-fired...
, this has in turn raised the water temperature within the Dock and created an environment of unique ecological interest. £2 million is to be invested into creating the nature reserve, whilst Cumbria County Council has been made responsible for landscaping the surrounding area.
Transportation
A £5 million access road that links Michaelson Road to the waterfront development was opened in March 2010, the link road entitled Harding Rise means the port of Barrow can be easily accessed my large good vehicles and general commuters rather than having to drive through the residential areas of Barrow Island (namely along Ramsden Dock Road). Considerable amounts of landscaping have also taken place alongside the road and its adjacent pathways. Harding Rise has a carriageway width of 10 metres (33 ft), whilst the main roundabout located at this entrance to the waterfront has an inscribed circle diameter of 45 metres (148 ft). Two other large roads which have been complete and run through the Barrow Island part of the waterfront are Ramsey Way and Dova Way which are 10 metres (33 ft) and 7.3 metres (24 ft) wide respectively. The Marina Village will take up a large part of south-central Barrow and although many roads will be demolished, the main thorough throughs of Rawlinson Street and The Strand will remain.Bridge Road connects the waterfront development to the A590
A590 road
The A590 is a trunk road in southern Cumbria, in the north-west of England. It runs north-east to south-west from M6 junction 36, through the towns of Ulverston and Barrow-in-Furness to terminate at Vickerstown on Walney Island. The road is a mixture of dual carriageway and single carriageway,...
and eventually Junction 36 of the M6 motorway
M6 motorway
The M6 motorway runs from junction 19 of the M1 at the Catthorpe Interchange, near Rugby via Birmingham then heads north, passing Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Preston, Carlisle and terminating at the Gretna junction . Here, just short of the Scottish border it becomes the A74 which continues to...
. Besides road transport, the site is also in close proximity to Barrow-in-Furness
Barrow-in-Furness railway station
Barrow-in-Furness railway station is a railway station that serves the town of Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria, England. It is located on the Furness Line to Lancaster and the Cumbrian Coast Line to Workington and Carlisle...
and Roose railway station
Roose railway station
Roose railway station is a railway station that serves the suburb of Roose, which is in the town of Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria, England. It is located on the Furness Line to Lancaster....
s. Barrow/Walney Island Airport also serves Barrow, however is used primarily by BAE Systems. The nearest international airports to the waterfront development include Blackpool International Airport, Manchester Airport and Liverpool John Lennon Airport
Liverpool John Lennon Airport
Liverpool John Lennon Airport is an international airport serving the city of Liverpool and the North West of England. Formerly known as Speke Airport, RAF Speke, and Liverpool Airport the airport is located within the City of Liverpool adjacent to the estuary of the River Mersey some southeast...
.
Water sports centre
Water sports have been occurring in and around the port of Barrow for years, however there aren't any designated centres or sites for this. Since 2003, Ramsden Dock has held host to the Formula 2 National Grand Prix Power Boat racing which attracted some 35,000 visitors annually. Barrow, its docks and the Walney Channel have also become ever more popular with power boat racing since speed restrictions were placed on nearby WindermereWindermere
Windermere is the largest natural lake of England. It is also a name used in a number of places, including:-Australia:* Lake Windermere , a reservoir, Australian Capital Territory * Lake Windermere...
. The water sports centre which forms part of the waterfront will be located on the northern side of Ramsden Dock and will cater for canoeing, sailing, wind-surfing and of course power boat racing.
See also
- List of seaports
- List of marinas
- RegenerationRegeneration-In biology:* Regeneration , the ability to recreate lost or damaged tissues, organs and limbs* Bush regeneration, an ecological technique practiced in Australia-In music:* Regeneration , a 1977 album by Roy Orbison...
- Barrow-in-FurnessBarrow-in-FurnessBarrow-in-Furness is an industrial town and seaport which forms about half the territory of the wider Borough of Barrow-in-Furness in the county of Cumbria, England. It lies north of Liverpool, northwest of Manchester and southwest from the county town of Carlisle...
- Port of BarrowPort of BarrowThe Port of Barrow refers to the enclosed dock system within the town of Barrow-in-Furness, England. Morecambe Bay is to the east of the port and the Irish Sea surrounds it to the south and west...
- Central BarrowCentral BarrowCentral Barrow refers to the town centre of Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, North West England, UK. Central Barrow is also the name of the electoral ward that covers roughly the Eastern part of Barrow Town Centre. In 2001 5,584 lived in the Central ward, with the majority of people being White...
- Barrow Island