Station Details

Sellafield

Station NameSellafield
Station CodeSEL
Station OwnerNorthern Trains
Developable Area31.90ha
Development Capacity1,595 homes (at 50dph)
Local Planning AuthorityCopeland
2021 Housing Delivery Test - Homes Required42
2021 Housing Delivery Test - Homes Delivered389
2021 Housing Delivery Test - Score932%
2021 Housing Delivery Test - ConsequenceNone
Network Rail RegionNorth West
Network Rail Sub-RegionCumbria
Passengers, 2020 - 202162,524
Passengers, 2019 - 2020259,834
UK Station Passenger Rank (Use)1,200

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. Sellafield station had 259,834 passengers enter or exit it during this period. That's roughly 714 people per day.

For a station with this number of passengers passing through it each year a density of 50 homes per hectare is reasonable, based on its proximity to major population centres and existing infrastructure.

Sellafield 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 31.9ha.

Assuming an appropriate (but not prevailing) development density of 50 dwellings per hectare, this area has a development capacity of around 1,595 homes.

The station sits within Copeland planning authority, which in 2021 achieved a Housing Delivery Test Score of 932%, having delivered 389 homes from a target of 42. There are no consequences for the planning authority as a result.

The total capacity of all Copeland's stations is 8,032 homes. That's 19,124% of its total 2021 Housing Delivery Test requirement.

Taking green belt into account, the capacity of Copeland's stations is 8,032 homes without building on protected land. That's 19,124% of its total 2021 Housing Delivery Test requirement.