Station Details

Bescar Lane

Station NameBescar Lane
Station CodeBES
Station OwnerNorthern Trains
Developable Area52.84ha
Development Capacity264 homes (at 5dph)
Local Planning AuthorityWest Lancashire
2021 Housing Delivery Test - Homes Required513
2021 Housing Delivery Test - Homes Delivered1,394
2021 Housing Delivery Test - Score272%
2021 Housing Delivery Test - ConsequenceNone
Green BeltMerseyside and Greater Manchester
Green Belt Area52.68ha ( 99.7% of the potential development area)
Network Rail RegionNorth West
Network Rail Sub-RegionLancashire
Passengers, 2020 - 2021572
Passengers, 2019 - 20202,364
UK Station Passenger Rank (Use)2,432

Development Potential

England's busiest station (apart from those serving airports) had 4,170,558 passenger movements in the period 2019-2020. The station with the least was 68. Bescar Lane station had 2,364 passengers enter or exit it during this period. That's roughly 6 people per day.

For a station with this number of passengers passing through it each year a density of 5 homes per hectare is reasonable, based on its proximity to major population centres and existing infrastructure.

Bescar Lane is located within the North West railway region. The potential area for development around the station (excluding existing buildings, national parks, flood zones, public green space, protected habitats, areas of outstanding natural beauty, world heritage sites and surface water) is approximately 52.84ha.

Assuming an appropriate (but not prevailing) development density of 5 dwellings per hectare, this area has a development capacity of around 264 homes.

The station sits within West Lancashire planning authority, which in 2021 achieved a Housing Delivery Test Score of 272%, having delivered 1,394 homes from a target of 513. There are no consequences for the planning authority as a result.

The total capacity of all West Lancashire's stations is 16,691 homes. That's 3,254% of its total 2021 Housing Delivery Test requirement.

Taking green belt into account, the capacity of West Lancashire's stations is 8 homes without building on protected land. That's 2% of its total 2021 Housing Delivery Test requirement.