Key Points
- Planning permission has been approved for 350 homes on the former Camelot Theme Park site in Charnock Richard, Lancashire.
- A government-appointed planning inspector backed Story Homes’ scheme after a public inquiry.
- The inspector ruled the site falls within “grey belt” land and said the development was not inappropriate.
- The application had been delayed for 12 years after it was first submitted.
- Chorley Council did not determine the application in time, which led to the appeal.
- The council did not oppose the scheme in principle during the appeal.
- The project includes up to 350 homes, with half classed as affordable.
- The plans also include a community hub and almost £5 million for local infrastructure and services.
- Local representatives criticised the decision, warning it could worsen traffic and damage the rural character of the area.
- Story Homes said the ruling clears the way for the transformation of the long-derelict site.
UK (Liverpool standard) July 08, 2026 – plans to redevelop the former Camelot Theme Park site have been approved after a 12-year wait, paving the way for 350 homes on land that has stood derelict for years. The decision was made by a government-appointed planning inspector after a public inquiry, with the site described as “grey belt” land and the proposed scheme judged not inappropriate for development.
As reported by the Liverpool Echo, the approval follows a long-running planning process that began when Story Homes first submitted an application to redevelop the site. The developer had previously failed twice to secure planning permission for similar schemes, but the latest appeal has now delivered a breakthrough for its wider plans.
The decision places the future of one of Lancashire’s most recognisable former leisure sites on a new path. Instead of remaining an unused attraction, the land is now set to be reshaped into housing and supporting facilities, subject to the approved scheme moving ahead as planned. The ruling also reflects a wider planning debate over how long-derelict sites should be treated when councils, developers and local communities disagree on their future use.
What will the development include?
The approved scheme will include up to 350 homes, with around half designated as affordable housing. It will also feature a community hub and nearly £5 million in contributions towards local infrastructure and services. Story Homes has argued that the project will deliver much-needed housing, support the local economy and create a lasting legacy for the area.
The scale of the development has made it a significant local issue because it brings together housing delivery, infrastructure funding and the reuse of a long-vacant site. Supporters of the scheme see it as a practical way to bring life back to land that has not been used for its original purpose for many years. The company has said the decision opens the door to what it describes as the transformation of the site.
At the same time, the approved plans are not limited to housing alone. The mix of affordable homes, community space and financial contributions for local services suggests the scheme is being presented as a broader regeneration project rather than a simple residential build. That has helped position the application as one of the more closely watched local planning decisions in the area.
Why did the appeal succeed?
The appeal was lodged after Chorley Council failed to determine the application within the required timeframe. During the appeal, the council did not oppose the scheme in principle, which meant the inspector considered the proposal in the context of planning rules and land classification rather than outright local objection.
The government-appointed inspector ruled that the former theme park site sits within “grey belt” land. In planning terms, that classification proved important because it supported the view that the development was not inappropriate. The ruling effectively settled the question that had blocked progress for years and allowed the scheme to move beyond repeated delays.
The 12-year gap between the first application and approval underlines how complicated large redevelopment proposals can become. Sites with a high public profile often attract strong views from residents, councillors and developers, especially where countryside land, traffic and housing need all overlap. In this case, the appeal outcome has provided a formal answer, but not one that has removed local disagreement.
How have local leaders reacted?
Local representatives criticised the approval, describing the decision as “utter nonsense” and “grotesque”, and warning that the project will make traffic worse on surrounding roads. Their concern is that the additional homes will place more pressure on the local network, which many residents already regard as strained. Those objections reflect a wider pattern often seen in major housing disputes, where infrastructure concerns become a central part of the argument.
Some local councillors said they were disappointed, arguing that the rural site is unsuitable for a development of this scale. Their comments suggest that the core criticism is not only about the number of homes, but also about whether this particular location should be used for housing at all. For opponents, the concern is that redevelopment of a former theme park should not come at the cost of the surrounding countryside and road capacity.
Story Homes, by contrast, has welcomed the ruling and said it clears the way for progress. The company’s position is that the site has been unused for too long and that the plan can now deliver housing and community benefits. The contrasting reactions show that the decision has settled the planning question, but not the political or community argument around it.
What happens next?
The approval means the scheme can now move towards delivery, although the practical timetable for construction has not been set out in the information provided. Large housing developments often require further detailed planning, site preparation and infrastructure coordination before building begins. Even so, the appeal result is the key step needed to unlock the project after years of uncertainty.
The former Camelot site has been one of those locations whose future repeatedly returned to public debate. Once a leisure attraction, it later became a derelict landmark, and the new decision now redirects its path towards residential use. That change in direction is likely to remain controversial locally, but it has at least brought a formal end to the long planning stalemate.
Background of the development
Camelot Theme Park was once a familiar local attraction before the site became derelict and the question of redevelopment began to dominate discussion. Story Homes first submitted its plans 12 years ago, but the project failed to secure permission on earlier attempts, leaving the site in planning limbo. The latest application then moved into appeal after Chorley Council did not determine it in time, which set up the public inquiry and final ruling.
The case also sits within the broader debate over how planning authorities classify land that is no longer actively used but is not straightforward countryside in the conventional sense. The inspector’s conclusion that the site is “grey belt” land was central to the decision and helped justify approval for the housing scheme. That classification, together with the proposed mix of homes and infrastructure funding, is what finally allowed the plan to pass.
Prediction: how could this affect local residents?
For local residents, the decision is likely to mean a significant change in the character of the area if the scheme goes ahead. Supporters may see new homes, affordable housing and extra spending on services as clear benefits, while opponents are likely to focus on traffic, pressure on roads and the loss of open land around the former theme park site.
For people living nearby, the most immediate effects will probably come during construction and then through the longer-term increase in housing activity. The approval may also influence future planning arguments in the wider area, because it shows that long-derelict sites can be reclassified and redeveloped under the right circumstances. That could encourage similar proposals elsewhere, while also intensifying debate over where large housing projects should be built.
