Barrow’s landmark Marina Village faces a “number of challenges and hurdles to overcome” before it is possible, the council’s executive heard.

The committee agreed to award the contract for the remediation project on the site to Capita Property and Infrastructure Ltd; the only one of four potential firms to put a completed bid into the council.

Members raised concerns about the project around the council getting the necessary match-funding and councillor Martin McLeavy said it was unbelievable how long the project has been going on for.

The council are investing up to £250,000 to clear up the site and bid for match-funding over the next 12 months, but programme manager David Haughian admitted they do run a risk of the funding bids to Homes England and others not being successful after Cllr Hazel Edwards raised several queries.

He said: “There is a risk of no-agreement, that is always a risk when you are applying for funding that it isn’t successful. What we have done is prioritise key work streams that add value to the site.

“The work around ground water monitoring, in order to develop the site is required.

"Work around ecology and getting reptiles off site is an essential part of ever developing the site and removing the reptiles and ensuring they don’t return helps add value. Work streams we have chosen is that if the funding isn’t successful from Homes England or others then it is not considered abortive work, it adds value and make it more developable in the future if other funding where to arise.”

With £650,000 assigned in September to support the schemes development and act as match funding, the latest contract means up to £900,000 of the council’s budget is tied up in the site with no guarantee a development will begin by March 2021, which is when the council previously stated it needed to be spent by.

The scheme, which is part of the Barrow Port Area Action Plan (BPAAP) and considered a high priority housing site within the Barrow Borough Local Plan, has been mooted since 2007 and would potentially include around 650 homes in what is to be called Salt House Sands.

Previous discussions with Homes England about the 12-hectare site between Buccleuch and Cavendish docks at the end of last year stalled but Mr Haughian confirmed they are still on-going behind the scenes.

Cllr Edwards query over a cost-breakdown was also rejected by Mr Haughian who stated it wasn't straightforward as it was a time-charge contract.

Mr Haughian admitted the site has been peppered to death with ground investigation previously but added: “It presents a really good opportunity for Barrow to be seen to deliver a really significant re-generation scheme and help diversify the housing offering within the town.

“There are a number of challenges and hurdles to overcome before that is possible.

"There are specific issues around land contamination, lizards and slow worms on site, water contamination and a number of redundant buildings and statutory infrastructure which are on the site that would need dealt with in order to come forward for housing in the future.”