£2.5m wind sport plan for Fylde beach
PLANS have been unveiled for a new £2.5m wind sports centre in St Annes.
Kirkham businessman Eddie Sloane wants to build the facility at the
former base of Fylde Sand Yacht Club.
The proposal comes as council chiefs prepare to allow the return of wind sports to the Fylde coastline next summer.
Sand yachting was banned after mother-of-two Carole Cruz, 38, was killed in an accident during an organised competition on St Annes beach in August 2002.
If Fylde Council grants approval, an initial investment of 500,000 is planned next summer to re-introduce sports like kitesurfing, buggy riding and smaller sand yachts.
If that proves successful plans will be put in place to open the privately financed multi-million pound centre by 2010.
Mr Sloane, who owns Trax Karting motorsports complex in Preston, said: "We have put a proposal to the council and they have taken it to their consultants.
"The idea is to run the wind sport centre from the existing facility with the aim to create a state-of-the-art centre. We want to get young people on the beach, but make it safe for everybody else."
The plans have received support from campaigners who are keen to see the beach ban overturned.
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Weather for Blackpool
Thursday 23 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 10 C to 13 C
Wind Speed: 23 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 4 C to 11 C
Wind Speed: 21 mph
Wind direction: West
