Compulsory Purchase Powers Backed To Unlock Barrow Town Centre Regeneration
Barrow town centre regeneration has moved a step forward after councillors backed preparations to acquire key properties without owners’ consent if necessary.
Westmorland and Furness Council approved the preparation of compulsory purchase powers at a cabinet meeting held at Kendal Town Hall on Tuesday, November 10. The decision relates to land and properties within an area bordered by Market Street, Cornwallis Street, Dalton Road and Portland Walk, which is central to the authority’s Heart of Barrow regeneration programme.
The council has stressed that negotiated purchases remain its preferred approach. However, discussions with property owners have indicated that securing every site through voluntary agreements could prove difficult. Some properties are understood to involve absentee landlords, unresolved ownership records and expectations about property values that may be difficult to reconcile.
Councillor Andrew Jarvis, deputy leader and cabinet member for the economy, told the cabinet that these obstacles could put the wider regeneration programme at risk. He warned that without the ability to use compulsory purchase powers, the project could face significant delays or potentially fail to progress as intended.
The decision does not mean that the council has immediately taken ownership of the properties. Instead, it allows officers to begin preparing the documentation and other work required should compulsory purchase become necessary. A separate process must be completed before any property can legally be acquired against an owner's wishes.
Before a compulsory purchase order can be made, the council will need to demonstrate that the acquisition is justified in the public interest. The proposal must also receive approval from the Secretary of State. This means further legal and administrative steps remain before the powers could be used to take control of individual properties.
The Heart of Barrow programme is intended to transform the town centre through new facilities, homes, commercial opportunities and improved public spaces. The regeneration plans include a new theatre venue, a market, commercial space and areas designed to improve the experience of people visiting and using the town centre.
The project comes after the closure of Barrow Market Hall and the town's theatre over the past two years because of asbestos concerns. The loss of these important facilities has added pressure to efforts to revitalise the centre and create new places for residents, businesses and visitors.
The wider regeneration programme has been developed over several years, with a first phase valued at £22.9 million. The council believes bringing together the necessary land and property interests is an important part of creating the conditions for the next stages of redevelopment.
Funding has already been allocated to support the acquisition of properties required for the first phase of land assembly. This includes professional costs associated with negotiations and preparatory work for compulsory purchase across the wider regeneration area. Further funding will be needed to cover property purchases, compensation for disturbance and holding costs during later phases.
Councillor Jarvis said residents deserved investment that would give them a town centre they could take pride in. He highlighted the potential benefits of the programme, including new homes, commercial opportunities, improved public spaces, support for local businesses and job creation. He also described the cabinet's agreement as an important step towards delivering the changes planned for Barrow.
The council's approach is intended to balance continued negotiations with the need to keep the regeneration programme moving. Compulsory purchase powers are being prepared as a fallback where agreements cannot be reached, rather than an immediate decision to remove properties from their current owners.
For Barrow businesses and residents, the next stages will be important in determining how quickly the plans can move from proposals to visible improvements. Securing the necessary sites could help create opportunities for investment, attract new commercial activity and bring renewed purpose to parts of the town centre.
The Heart of Barrow project is part of the council's wider ambition to strengthen the local economy and improve the town's long-term prospects. While significant work remains before any compulsory purchase order could be issued, the latest cabinet decision gives the authority another mechanism to address property ownership obstacles and pursue its regeneration plans.
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