Blackpool Council 'should buy land to prevent flooding'

A councillor is calling on town hall chiefs to buy up land from supermarket giant Asda in order to protect homes from flooding.

Conservative councillor Maxine Callow says the move would prevent a land grab by developers who want to build 86 houses on open space at Warren Drive in Norbreck.

Lovell Partnerships was refused planning permission for the scheme amid fears over the threat of flooding but has appealed against the decision.

Coun Callow says if the council bought the land it could be preserved as open space thereby safeguarding the area from the risk of increased flooding.

Most of the land at Warren Drive is already under council ownership but around eight acres, which is subject to the planning application, is owned by Asda after it was sold by Lancashire County Council before Blackpool became a unitary authority.

Coun Callow has prepared a notice of motion , to be debated at the next full meeting of the council in September, asking town hall chiefs to investigate the possibility of buying the land.

She says "due to continuous flooding" she is calling on the council "to support residents' wishes to leave this land as public open space" by considering buying or leasing the land from Asda.

Coun Callow said: "After the most recent flooding last November, some residents have only just returned to their homes.

"I just want the council to look at another way of handling this, and Asda being a good neighbour to the people of Blackpool."

Lovells says it will include measures to prevent homes from being flooded.

The developer had proposed to raise the level of the land around the perimeter of the site to create a plateau which would protect the new houses from the risk of flood

The notice of motion will be considered by the council on September 19.