Supermarket planned to
replace derelict station

The doomed station at Carnforth.

CARNFORTH councillors seem to have lost their fight to save the town's railway station.

British Rail have said, in a letter to Morecambe's MP Mr. Mark Lennox-Boyd, that they intend to demolish the station and build a supermarket.

The news came at Wednesday's meeting of Carnforth Town Council, just minutes after the councillors had discussed a planning application for another supermarket a short distance away, on Market Street.

Although they agreed to approve the plans for the Market Street store, they were dismayed at BR's plans.

In the letter BR stated that the existing station building was rot infested and would be too expensive to repair. They felt the proposed property development was best for all concerned, adding that they had Carnforth's best interests in mind.

MONEY

Coun. Miss Ann Baines who led the fight to try and save the railway station, writing to MPs, British Rail, and even the Prime Minister, said she would like to know why BR had let the building get into such a state of disrepair.
"They have made enough money out of Carnforth over the years," she said. "They might not think it is important, but most of the town think it is of value to them. It appears there is not a lot we can do about it," she added.

A letter from the County Council confirmed there was nothing to stop BR from demolishing the historic building because it was not a Listed Building. "While the building is quite attractive by closing the view down Market Street, it is poorly maintained and does not warrant being made a Listed Building," the County Council said.

BIGGER

However, the application to build a supermarket on Market Street, on the car park and area surrounding the Spar Shop owned by Mr. M. Jenkinson was met with more favourable feeling from the councillors.

The application was for a building two or three times bigger than the present one, said Coun. Howard Buxton, and it fully complied with the Local Plan.

Assistant Clerk Mr. Paul Mayor said the development depended on the conversion of the former auction mart site into a car park.

Coun. Buxton did not think there would be any problems from an environmental point of view, citing Sainsbury's at Lancaster as an example of what sort of marvellous job could be done.

The councillors agreed to inform the City Council that they had no objections to the supermarket being built.

"Supermarket planned to replace derelict station,"  Morecambe Visitor 26th February 1986

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