Have your say on homes plan for former camp site and music venue

Property developers Bellair have revealed plans for ascheme of no more than 62 homes for the former Great Birchwood Country Park on Lytham Road, Warton.

The proposals will bring the derelict site back in to sustainable use and the developers say they will also make the site an asset to the communities of Warton and Lytham by incorporating such features as generous public open space into the proposed layout and adding seating and public space at the Lytham Road frontage for use by walkers, cyclists and the local community.

Colin Campbell, a director of Bellair, said: “This site is in desperate need of some TLC and a new, sustainable use. I’m delighted to be proposing a high-quality, low-density development of much-needed family homes that I believe will truly be an asset to the area.

“As a previously developed site the construction of homes here will reduce the need to build houses on other, green field sites on the Fylde.

"This, combined with our proposed contribution towards affordable homes and enhancements to public open space, mean that our plans will deliver significant benefits for the community.”

Nearby residents have been sent a community newsletter with a reply slip enclosed to feed in their views about the proposals.

A project website has also been launched to collect the views of local people and these will be considered ahead of a planning application being submitted, which is expected to happen before the end of the year.

Great Birchwood Country Park, which was originally built as a base for Air Force Personnel during the Second World War, was most recently a Country and Western-themed campsite. It played host to some big name acts over the years, including Dr. Hook but the growth of foreign travel saw the site fall in to decline and it ultimately closed as a holiday park in 2016.

The site is now littered with derelict buildings and concrete hard standing where caravans once stood.

Despite having planning permission for a high-density development of more than 150 caravans, alternative uses are considered more sustainable.

Planning permission was granted in 2018 for the development of assisted living bungalows and a care home, though the scheme was later found to be unviable.

Local people are encouraged to have their say online at www.greatbirchwood.co.uk by Friday, December 3.

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