Blackpool nostalgia in 1991: Plans for sewage works unveiled, flooding and fighter jets

Plans for Fleetwood sewage treatment works unveiled

The site of a hi-tech sewage treatment works in Fleetwood was unveiled as part of North West Water’s controversial £100m coastal clean up scheme.

The works would be housed in industrial style buildings on a 32-acre site at Fleetwood Marsh,

It was only 400 yards from housing on Radcliffe Road and was branded by protestors as the worst possible site.

It was all part of NW Water plans to bring Blackpool’s beaches into line with EU standards by the mid-1990’s.

Water chiefs lodged their scheme with Wyre Council planners.

It had been widely expected the marsh would be the base for the sewage works. It would process most of the waste from Blackpool and North Fylde before being pumped out into Morecambe Bay via a three-mile long pipe from the port.

The water company hoped to start work early 1993 and have the system running in time for the 1996 summer.

Save Our Bay, the campaign organisation against the plans said: “This is the worst possible site they could have chosen.”

The group wanted the sewage in the sea issue debated at a public inquiry. There were four concerns - proximity to housing in Radcliffe Road, too close to the proposed harbour village plan, too close to the access road into Fleetwood and not big enough for expansion.

Barriers in place to deter travellers

Barriers had gone up at access points in Blackpool’s spine road car parks to prevent illegal camping by travellers over Christmas.

The town had been troubled by travellers in recent years and the cost of clearing up had run into tens of thousands of pounds.

But measures brought in for the first time in 1990 proved successful in deterring the travellers and were introduced again.

Superintendent Keith Kelly said: “The measures should not inconvenience the ordinary shoppers but should prevent travellers gaining access to the local authority land.”

The access to the spine road system from Central Drive had been closed and remained shut until after Christmas.

Gates were erected on the spine road access at Waterloo Road, which could be closed if required, and height barriers placed at the Central Drive and Lonsdale Road exit points.

The car parks were being supervised round the clock by police and officials equipped with mobile telephones.

Supt Kelly hoped they would be sufficient to keep the travellers away.

Residents' concerns over flooding

Anxious residents, living in fear of flood, met to pool their ideas and put further pressure on councillors.

The South Shore Residents’ Association believed outstanding work on sea defences could cost them dearly at the turn of the century.

Members were concerned that sea defence work had been carried out to the north of the town but was still not done in South Shore.

Although the work could have started in 1993, it would take six years to complete, leaving residents vulnerable.

Coun Bob Wynne said: “Residents need as much help as possible to get them through the next few years.” One idea was for elderly and disabled who needed sandbags delivering to be identifiable by a window sticker.

Eurofighter jet on target for completion

British Aerospace’s aircraft of the future - the Eurofighter prototype - was taking shape at Warton.

Codenamed DA 2, the aircraft was destined for its maiden flight in summer 1992.

DA2 was the second of seven prototypes to take to the air - the first being constructed at BAE’s partner plant in Ottobrunn, Germany and was expected to give its first public display at Farnborough Air Show.

Still to be fitted to the fuselage were the aircraft’s foreplanes and the next stage was to apply the electrical and hydraulic power.

The Eurofighter carried with it the job hopes of thousands of BAe workers into the next century.

It was very optimistic about export orders, particularly from the Middle and Far East.