Barrow-in-Furness is aiming to reinvent itself as an maritime tourist resort with a £100m regeneration scheme.
Under the scheme,waterside homes could be built in the Cumbrian town more usually associated with shipyards and docks. The number of homes has yet to be decided.

The plan aims to make Barrow a centre for tourism and watersports.

A 16 ha dockside site has been earmarked to include:

  • a 150-berth marina with shops and cafes, to expand to 300 berths
  • a wildlife reserve
  • the relocation of Windermere Motorboat Racing Club to Barrow
  • sculpture and heritage trails
  • a cruise ship terminal.

The renewal will be funded by £50m of public sector investment from bodies including Barrow Borough Council, Cumbria County Council and urban regeneration company West Lakes Renaissance.

They hope the scheme will attract £50m of private cash.

The regeneration plans are to be launched this weekend at the International Power and Glory tall ships festival, which is expected to draw in crowds of up to 50,000 people. It is hoped the festival will act as a catalyst for private investment.

The festival has been planned to kick-start a regeneration programme for the town, once a major iron and steel hub as well as a centre for shipbuilding.

A spokesman for the festival said: "Hopefully the changes planned can install Barrow as a centre for tourism, recreation and enterprise."

Source

Housing Today