Barrow Marina Village Plans for 68% More Houses
Plans to transform a large waterfront site in Barrow into a new residential neighbourhood are continuing to move forward. With around 1,350 homes now proposed.
Marina Village would be built on council-owned brownfield land between Cavendish Dock Road and Salthouse Road. Close to Barrow town centre, major employers and local education sites.
Westmorland and Furness Council appointed Muse Places, working with partners through the ECF regeneration partnership, as the project’s strategic development partner in January 2026.
The appointment allows more detailed design, planning and funding work to begin. However, a final housing masterplan has not yet been approved and the council has not confirmed that the full development will be completed by 2029.
The project is expected to be built in stages over several years.
Around 1,350 new homes proposed
Earlier versions of the scheme referred to between 650 and 808 homes.
The latest plans are more ambitious and seek to provide around 1,350 properties. These are expected to include family homes, homes suitable for first-time buyers and a choice of different ownership and rental options.
Affordable housing is also expected to form part of the development, although the number and type of affordable properties will depend on future planning applications and discussions with developers.
The council wants Marina Village to help meet the growing demand for housing linked to Barrow’s expanding economy.
Investment in the submarine programme is expected to create thousands of jobs at BAE Systems and across the local supply chain. This has increased pressure to provide more good-quality homes for existing residents, new workers and their families.
Waterfront neighbourhood close to the town centre
The Marina Village site covers around 27 hectares and sits approximately 0.8 kilometres from Barrow town centre.
More than 17 hectares could be developed, while the site includes over 900 metres of waterfront beside Barrow’s historic docks.
The aim is to create a modern neighbourhood that uses the dockside setting while remaining connected to the wider town.
Plans are expected to include new public open spaces, walking and cycling routes, landscaped streets and links towards local shops, schools, colleges and workplaces.
A nature conservation area would also form part of the scheme, helping protect wildlife and create green space for residents.
Homes expected to be energy efficient
Planning guidance approved by the council states that the homes should be energy efficient and built without gas heating.
Developers will be expected to consider walking, cycling, public transport and electric vehicle charging when designing the neighbourhood.
The plans must also include measures to manage surface water and reduce flood risks.
New green spaces, trees, wildlife habitats and sustainable drainage features are expected to be included throughout the site.
The council has said future developers may also need to make financial contributions towards local education and healthcare services because of the rise in population.
Millions invested in preparing the land
Marina Village is being built on previously developed industrial land. This means extensive preparation is required before homes can be constructed.
The first phase involved clearing and treating six hectares of land. This work was completed in November 2023 using £5.5 million from the Government’s Getting Building Fund.
A further £24.8 million of Homes England funding is supporting the second phase.
This includes preparing another 19 hectares, dealing with contaminated ground, installing infrastructure and protecting or diverting important utility services.
Cavendish Dock Road is also being realigned to improve access through the site.
Further remediation and road work received planning approval in late 2025, helping unlock another section of land for future development.
What happens between now and 2029?
Muse Places and ECF will initially work with the council under a pre-development agreement.
This stage will cover early designs, planning work, project management and a funding strategy.
A wider development agreement will then set out how individual areas of Marina Village will be delivered over time.
Detailed planning applications will still be required before housebuilding can begin. These applications will confirm the layout, appearance, number of homes and supporting facilities for each phase.
The project could make significant progress by 2029, including further site preparation, infrastructure work and detailed planning approvals.
However, no official date has yet been given for the first homes to be completed or for the entire neighbourhood to be finished.
Major part of Barrow’s wider regeneration
Marina Village forms part of the wider Team Barrow programme, which aims to support the town’s growth over the next decade.
The project is intended to provide more housing while improving the waterfront and changing how Barrow is viewed as a place to live.
It will also sit close to other regeneration schemes involving the town centre, education, transport and public spaces.
Although many details still need to be agreed, the appointment of a development partner and the continuing land preparation work mean the long-discussed Marina Village project has moved closer to becoming a reality.
