|
|
Carnforth
Station, although serving lines to Barrow, Manchester Airport,
Morecambe, Lancaster and Leeds, was in an advanced state of
dereliction and decay.
Various
studies of Carnforth including ones commissioned by Lancaster
City Council and the Rural Development Commission had identified
that the people of Carnforth were extremely conscious of Carnforth's
Railway History and saw the refurbishment of the station as
central to the regeneration of Carnforth.
Railtrack plc had been advertising the property "To Let"
for a number of years, and the station buildings, were facing
demolition.
Following
considerable local concern, the Carnforth Station and Railway
Trust Limited was formed with a board of five local directors.
The Trust is a Registered Charity and a Company limited by guarantee.
The
aims of the Trust are to save the Station buildings and re-use
them in an appropriate way. The Trust also wishes to generate
interest in the rich industrial history of Carnforth.
To this end the Trust commissioned a Feasibility Study into
whether a scheme to refurbish the buildings could be viable.
The Study was jointly funded by the Rural Development Commission,
Lancashire County Council, Albany Heritage Trust on behalf of
local Landfill Taxpayers, Lancaster City Council, LAWTEC and
by the Trust's own fundraising.
The study was carried out by a team of professional advisers,
including Irvine Taylor, and concluded that, although such a
scheme would not be commercially viable, if the capital costs
of the refurbishment could be funded, the income from a mixture
of leisure, community and commercial uses would ensure the future
management of the buildings.
The proposed uses, based on market research carried out both
prior to and as a part of the Feasibility Study include:
- a restaurant /
refreshment room based of a 'Brief Encounter' theme
- six retail / craft
units trading in goods likely to be of interest to our visitors
- a centre displaying
Carnforth's railway and industrial heritage, its use as a
film setting - most notably for 'Brief Encounter' - plus further
exhibitions relevant to the location
- a multi-purpose
meeting room / cinema / exhibition space for community and
educational use.
The project is also intended to improve facilities for rail
travellers and, in conjunction with Railtrack's Station Regeneration
Programme, upgrade the whole appearance of the Station.
Contact: David
Taylor
|
