Plans to turn the long-abandoned Camelot Theme Park into a 350-home neighbourhood have been lodged with Chorley Council, 13 years after the Lancashire attraction shut for good.

House-builder Story Homes has filed an outline application covering the 74-acre site at Charnock Richard, just off the M6. Paperwork seen on the council portal sets out up to 350 properties plus a "community hub" offering co-working space, meeting rooms and facilities for local groups.

Siobhan Sweeney, the firm's North West land manager, told Construction Enquirer that the project aimed to meet "strong demand for high-quality, affordable homes in Chorley" while putting "emphasis on sustainability and community investment".

She added: "Through the delivery of affordable homes, investment in green infrastructure and the creation of new community spaces, we're committed to ensuring that this scheme supports local people and enhances the wider area."

Half the dwellings would be classed as affordable, the developer says, with a promised 10% biodiversity net gain achieved by opening up a culverted stretch of Syd Brook and planting new wildlife corridors.

Nonetheless, not everyone is convinced. Sue Warburton, 57, from nearby Heskin, told The Sun: "The reason I moved here was to live in the countryside, and I don't want to see trees cut down for new homes."

She argued there was "not enough countryside" left to justify building on green-belt land.

Another couple told the paper it was already "impossible" to get a GP appointment and feared extra traffic and pressure on services if hundreds of families move in.

Public comments on the scheme are open until July 25 via Chorley Council's planning portal, after which officers will draw up a recommendation for elected members.

Camelot entertained visitors from 1983 until 2012 with roller-coasters, jousting shows and medieval-themed restaurants inspired by King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

Falling visitor numbers forced its closure and the park was bulldozed in 2020, leaving only overgrown footpaths, rusting ride supports and the shell of the famous castle-style entrance.

Since then the eerie setting has been used only for occasional "zombie" horror events, earning a cult following among urban explorers.

If councillors approve Story Homes' plans, diggers could return next year to start clearing what remains of the site and lay the first foundations for what the developer calls a "new Lancashire village".

A decision is expected later this year.