Station Details

Carnforth

Station NameCarnforth
Station CodeCNF
Station OwnerNorthern Trains
Developable Area43.79ha
Development Capacity1,752 homes (at 40dph)
Local Planning AuthorityLancaster
2021 Housing Delivery Test - Homes Required1,049
2021 Housing Delivery Test - Homes Delivered1,433
2021 Housing Delivery Test - Score137%
2021 Housing Delivery Test - ConsequenceNone
Green BeltCarnforth, Lancaster and Morecambe
Green Belt Area42.88ha ( 97.92% of the potential development area)
Network Rail RegionNorth West
Network Rail Sub-RegionLancashire
Passengers, 2020 - 202151,772
Passengers, 2019 - 2020189,000
UK Station Passenger Rank (Use)1,281

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. Carnforth station had 189,000 passengers enter or exit it during this period. That's roughly 519 people per day.

For a station with this number of passengers passing through it each year a density of 40 homes per hectare is reasonable, based on its proximity to major population centres and existing infrastructure.

Carnforth 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 43.79ha.

Assuming an appropriate (but not prevailing) development density of 40 dwellings per hectare, this area has a development capacity of around 1,752 homes.

The station sits within Lancaster planning authority, which in 2021 achieved a Housing Delivery Test Score of 137%, having delivered 1,433 homes from a target of 1,049. There are no consequences for the planning authority as a result.

The total capacity of all Lancaster's stations is 2,680 homes. That's 255% of its total 2021 Housing Delivery Test requirement.

Taking green belt into account, the capacity of Lancaster's stations is 964 homes without building on protected land. That's 92% of its total 2021 Housing Delivery Test requirement.