Morecombe Bay Building, Lancashire Architecture Competition Images, Architect, Design Proposal

Morecombe Bay Contest

Building Proposal for Urban Splash Competition design by D&B Architects

15 Jun 2006

Morecombe Architecture

English Architecture Competition

Images from Duffy & Batt Architects Jan 06

Urban Splash Design Competition

Location: north west Lancashire, north west England

Morecambe Housing

image from architect

Midland Hotel, Morecambe
Date built: 1933
Design: Architect Oliver Hill

More architecture information online soon

Morecambe Bay is a large bay in northwest England, nearly due east of the Isle of Man and just to the south of the Lake District National Park. It is the largest expanse of intertidal mudflats and sand in the United Kingdom, covering a total area of 310 km2 (120 sq mi). In 1974 the second largest gas field in the UK was discovered 25 miles (40 km) west of Blackpool, with original reserves of over 7 trillion cubic feet (tcf) (200 billion cubic metres). At its peak 15% of Britain’s gas supply came from the bay but production is now in decline and the main field was mothballed in 2011.

The rivers Leven, Kent, Keer, Lune and Wyre drain into the Bay, with their various estuaries making a number of peninsulas within the bay. Much of the land around the bay is reclaimed, forming salt marshes used in agriculture. Morecambe Bay is also an important wildlife site, with abundant bird life and varied marine habitats, and there is a bird observatory at Walney Island. The bay has rich cockle beds, which have been fished by locals for generations.

There are seven main islands in the bay; Walney, Barrow, Sheep, Piel, Chapel, Foulney and Roa. Sheep, Piel, Chapel and Foulney Islands are tidal and can be walked to at low tide with appropriate care. Local guidance should be sought if walking to Chapel or Piel islands as fast tides and quicksand can be extremely dangerous. Roa Island is linked to the mainland by a causeway and is only rarely cut off.

Location: Morecombe Bay, Morecombe, Lancashire, Northwest England Property, UK