Empty Morecambe Landmark Needs Action Before Major Council Overhaul
A long-vacant building on Morecambe’s Regent Street is finally getting attention from local officials, who argue that any redevelopment plans must move forward before a major restructuring of local government takes shape.
Centenary House has sat mostly empty since the mid-1990s. The only active tenant operating from the building is a Co-op store on the ground floor. While the government provided funding for some repairs in 2024, the site remains a prominent eyesore in the town.
An approved plan dating back to 2019 envisioned converting the space into offices, a cafe, and event areas, but that scheme never moved beyond the approval stage.
At a recent Lancaster City Council meeting, councillors discussed the property’s future and acknowledged that talks are underway with an affordable housing provider about a potential takeover of the site. However, the lack of nearby parking is seen as a significant obstacle that could deter developers.
Councillor David Whittaker pressed cabinet member Martin Bottoms, who oversees regeneration and the local economy for Morecambe, on what progress has been made and whether external funding is being pursued.
Bottoms confirmed that brownfield regeneration funding is accessible to developers willing to take the project on, but acknowledged the parking limitations are a genuine concern. “Whether the building ends up serving community or commercial purposes, parking is going to be an issue,” he said. “We are in talks with an affordable housing developer, and they are well aware that parking needs to be addressed.”
Whittaker also raised the looming question of how the project might fare once local government reorganisation comes into effect. The Lancaster district, including Morecambe, could be merged with Preston and Ribble Valley under government plans to replace the two-tier council system that has been in place since 1974 with single unitary authorities.
Bottoms said the council is pushing to at least kick-start the redevelopment before the reorganisation takes hold in 2028. “It’s something that’s concerned all of us since the new administration was formed,” he said. “We need to find a solution. It’s down to us to get it done, or at least get it started, before local government reorganisation. I will be pressing for that.”
The uncertainty surrounding the council shake-up means future unitary authorities covering larger areas with broader representation could view projects like Centenary House entirely differently than the current administration does, making the timing of any action critical.