'˜Garden city' will mean huge edge-of-town development

What’s happening?

A £200m ‘garden city’ is proposed to be built on Whyndyke Farm.

Outline planning permission was granted in October 2015 for 1,400 homes , a primary school, shops and a health centre to be built on 225 acres of land alongside junction 4 of the M55.

Around 50 acres will be set aside for employment with manufacturing and distribution companies expected to locate there.

The site is owned by a consortium including the Oyston family.

Both Blackpool and Fylde councils have planning jurisdiction over the land which straddles both authorities, although the majority of it lies within Fylde’s boundaries.

The plans include 350 two-bedroom, 700 three-bed, 280 four-bed and 70 five-bed properties on the northern part of the site along with a two-form primary school and two neighbourhood centres containing retail space, a health centre, a pub, a cafe, offices and a takeaway.

When will work start?

Developers hope to be on site by the end of this year.

Alban Cassidy, chartered town planner and environmental consultant at Cassidy + Ashton architects which has drawn up the scheme, said: “We’re currently finalising the legal agreement to ensure the development includes a range of community facilities such as a medical facility, primary school and community hall.

“Following that, we’ll work to submit detailed proposals towards the middle of this year and are hopeful to start on site at the end of 2017.”

Reaction

Mr Cassidy added: “Whyndyke Farm has been several years in the making and it’s exciting to see everyone’s hard work paying off.

“The site has already generated substantial interest and will be a major boost to the town, local residents and the surrounding area by providing quality and sought after health, residential, commercial and employment opportunities.”