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Completion of the Heysham to M6 Link
Lancashire County Council has promoted a link between Heysham and the M6 as part of its undertaking to improve the inter-urban road network, and to provide for further development within the District of Lancaster, particularly in Morecambe and Heysham, and for expansion of the Port of Heysham. This undertaking was outlined in the Lancashire Structure Plan 1986 to 1996, with the Lancaster / Morecambe Bypass included as an improvement to the inter-urban road network to be carried out in the period beyond 1990.
The County Council's long standing commitment to the scheme resulted in the construction of Phase 1 of the Heysham to M6 link (also known as the Lancaster / Morecambe Bypass), which was opened to traffic in July 1994. This scheme removed a significant volume of traffic from the built-up areas of Morecambe and Heysham, including a large number of heavy goods vehicles traveling between the Port of Heysham and the M6 Motorway.
Drawings are based on Ordnance Survey Mapping with the Permission of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationary Office © Crown copyright. Unauthorised reproduction Infringes Crown Copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Lancashire County Council Licence No. LA076716.
- A Planning Inquiry was held in summer 2007 and the Secretary of State granted Planning Permission in February 2008.
- A legal challenge was lodged by a resident against the Secretary of State claiming that her decision was unlawful and that she did not follow relevant guidance.
- The challenge was heard in the High Court on the 28th and 29th August 2008. Lancashire County Council assisted the Secretary of State in defending her decision and the challenge was overruled.
- Furthermore the judge concluded that "there is no substance in (the) challenge. This case is yet another illustration of the need to introduce a requirement that claimants who wish to make a challenge under section 288 of the (Town and Country Planning) Act should have to obtain the court's permission to do so, just as they have to do in respect of appeals under section 289 of the Act. Had there been such a requirement, it is likely that permission to make this application would have been refused by the court."
- The Department for Transport have to approve the expenditure for the scheme and the County Council are continuing to discuss the scheme with them with a view to obtaining the first level of approval (known as Programme Entry) by the end of December 2008.