'We've had enough, we don't want this' - Anger amid update on plans for major new Fylde housing development

Controversial proposals to build 40 houses in the village of Wrea Green have been agreed in principle after a meeting of Fylde Council’s planning committee.

The decision left objectors frustrated after they spoke against the scheme.

The application by Wainhomes (North West Ltd) was for a residential development of 40 homes on land adjacent 38 Bryning Lane and north of Bryning Avenue in the village, which falls under the civil parish of Ribby-with Wrea.

Residents raised concerns about speeding traffic making further development unsafe, lack of available places at the village school, pressure on GP practices, flooding concerns and new housing developments causing the village to lose its character. These concerns were echoed by Ribby with Wrea Parish Council, in a written objection.

One objector, Terry Moreau, said the lovely view of a green field he and his wife had admired from their back garden for 30 years was to be replaced by a brick house right at the back of their home.

But councillors agreed with a recommendation that the proposals be delegated to planning officers to approve, subject to a s 106 agreement to provide 30 per cent affordable housing in the development, to offset its impact.

They heard from planning case officer Andrew Stell who said that because the council was currently unable to demonstrate a five year housing supply, a ‘tilted balance’ was in place which meant the council should approve applications that delivered sustainable development, unless harmful implications outweighed the benefits.

He said there were no such harmful developments demonstrated in this case.

What objectors said

Speaking at the meeting , Mr Moreau, who is the closest resident to the new development, said: “We’ve had enough, we don’t want this. Houses need to be built in the right place, such as brown field sites. They try to say this development won’t worsen my living conditions, but that’s for me to say. This has affected me.

“To wake up one day to a green field and then wake up later to a two-storey brick structure instead is not going to enhance my living standards.”

Another resident who lives next to the development, Mike Cockrill, pointed to the land still being used for agriculture and raised concerns about extra traffic. A third resident, Kim Bradbrook, raised concerns about the lack of school places at the village school and the waiting list at the nearest GP practice already being long, as well as existing problems with flooding.

Councillors on the committee questioned Mr Stell on matters relating to flooding, school places, public transport and traffic speed. Mr Stell said that the developers had made efforts to deal with the issues raised, such as schemes to alleviate flooding,

He said the local highways authority did not have any objection over the site access at Bryning Lane and that the density, mix and lay-out of homes was considered appropriate. The housing scheme offered 30 per cent affordable homes and the housing mix of 14 two-bed, 8 three-bed and 18 four-bed exceeded recommended guidelines.

Planning history

Previous planning applications had seen no less than four different residential proposals for the village being dismissed on appeal, including this one in 2017, as a consequence of the adoption of the Fylde Local Plan to 2032 during the appeal process which confirmed the council’s development needs over that timescale were met by sites elsewhere.

However, that was now no longer the case. Mr Stell said the only reason which had led to those schemes being rejected was no longer relevant because Fylde’s housing needs were now different. Developments were now needed to provide the required housing supply.

He added that it was felt that by virtue of it relative larger size, Wrea Green was well placed to accommodate 40 new homes and had enough infrastructure to do so.

Ribby with Wrea ward member, Cllr Frank Andrews, who is not on the planning committee but had called in the scheme and raised issues on behalf of residents, said: “Are we not at risk of losing sight of democracy because of this tilted balance to meet the housing plan?

“If there was another application for 40 houses in Wrea Green tomorrow, would we have to accept that too? There could be a risk that we’re just rolling over to accommodate this.”

But committee Cllr Richard Recliffe replied: “We’ve been debating this application for the last two hours and we’ve asked searching questions about it. We are doing what a planning committee should do, there is no question of us rolling over.”

Councillors voted unanimously with the recommendations.