Lancaster Crown Court set to close permanently
The HM Courts and Tribunal Service said the historical court does not offer modern and flexible accommodation
Lancaster Crown Court is set to close permanently, after not being in use for the past six years.
The site, based in medieval castle, has not been used since 2019.
Instead, people are referred to Preston Crown Court.
A consultation on the closure is now underway, with the HM Courts and Tribunal Service setting 2 July as the deadline to respond.
HMCTS said the historical court "does not offer modern and flexible accommodation and has significant issues with security and accessibility".
"Carefully considered"
Jane Wignall, the Delivery Director for the North West said: "These issues cannot be resolved due to the listed status of the building and because the Castle complex operates as a tourist attraction.
"As a result, Lancaster Crown Court is currently closed and has not been utilised for either crime or civil hearings since 2019.
"We are proposing that Lancaster Crown Court is permanently closed and that crime hearings continue to be heard in Preston Crown Court, a modern and accessible building with capacity to accommodate any cases that could be heard in Lancaster.
"The journey times to Preston have been carefully considered, along with the overall impact on court users, judiciary, and staff.
"Lancaster Courthouse, which resides at a nearby location in Lancaster, will remain available for civil hearings."