What’s the impact of Eden Project Morecambe on local renters?
What’s the Eden Project?
Eden Project started in Cornwall, setting up their now famous domed greenhouses and botanical garden in an old clay mine. The tourist attraction states that its mission is to “demonstrate and inspire positive action for the planet.” It’s a charity that states that their work goes beyond the physical locations, and focuses on ecology, sustainability, community, nature, wellbeing and global change.
Eden Morecambe
Eden Morecambe is one of eight other sites that the Eden Project announced it would be developing in recent years, including in the South Downs, Qingdao, New Zealand, Australia, Dubai, Costa Rica, Derry and Dundee. Planning permission was granted for an Eden Project in Morecambe in 2022, located on Central Drive close to the Midland Hotel. It has been allocated £50 million of Government “levelling-up” funding and is due to open in 2027 or 2028.
Morecambe Bay looking towards the West End. (Photo: Lupin)
What usually happens to rents when there is a big infrastructure project?
Large infrastructure projects often have a big impact on the cost of rents in the surrounding area and can be part of a process of gentrification, in which richer people move into or buy up houses in a more affordable, working class area. This means that housing is more in demand, and local people are forced out of their homes. Cornwall Live reports that house prices near the original Eden Project are nearly 50% higher than those in the surrounding area that aren’t next to the project. It’s a lot easier to find research on house prices than rents, and although rents do not directly track house prices, higher house prices can often be an indicator of higher rents.
Speaking to renters in Morecambe, we’ve heard that people noticed rents starting to increase as soon as the project was announced, and houses starting to be bought up by developers who were living elsewhere. TACU are looking more into the data on this, and speaking to local people who have already been affected by rent increases due to Eden Project.
Rent rises caused by Eden Project were also predicted. Speaking to the Lancaster Guardian in 2023, a member of the National Association of Property Buyers claimed that the Eden project would have a “massive impact” on the region’s housing. He stated that landlords would already be looking to take advantage of the situation, and that they are likely to focus on renting for Eden employees and people visiting for one or two nights, with a rise in Airbnb-style lettings. In an unexpected show of solidarity, he also stated that: "Without tight safeguards, local people face being priced out of their own neighbourhood – especially those who are most vulnerable and haven’t been able to enjoy the expected uplift in employment and wages.” If even the people thinking about cashing in from the project are aware of its effects on local people, why have Eden Project and Lancaster City Council appeared to do nothing to protect them?
What could be done to protect renters here?
Measures to protect renters could include a blanket ban on evictions (a version of which was brought in during the Covid-19 pandemic), rent controls (limits on how much rent a landlord can charge), and a ban on short-term Airbnb-style rentals (as practiced already in some cities and recently announced in Barcelona).
#NoEvictionsForEden
At TACU, we’re really happy to see more jobs and education opportunities in the area that the project promises to bring, but the price for this cannot be members of our community being forced out of their homes, especially those of us in the most precarious rental accommodation.
Eden Project states that they use their destinations “to support local people.” They should put this into practice by them and Lancaster City Council providing a full account of what measures they have in place to make sure that no-one is forced out of their homes because of the attraction.
Eden Project’s environmental and ecological claims are empty if they show a total disregard for the wellbeing of local people where they choose to locate their sites.
Eden Project is doing a series of “Community Conversations” which are listed here (you can listen back to old ones too to find out more about the project): https://www.edenproject.com/new-edens/eden-project-morecambe-uk/eden-project-morecambe-community-conversations
Housing charity Shelter provides advice for anyone who is facing eviction here: https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/eviction
They also have a free emergency helpline which is open Monday to Friday 8am- 6pm: 0808 800 4444.