Fleetwood fish park approved by planners

Wyre Council gave the scheme the nod after councillors overwhelmingly backed it.

The scheme will see many of the port’s fish merchants move from dilapidated premises, including those around the docks, and transfer to a purpose-built building.

Reform Energy, the company which will manage the fish park and will also run the neighbouring recyclable energy plant which will power it, said they were delighted by the decision.

It is now hoped the facility can be up and running by the early part of 2018.

John Potter, of Reform Energy, said: “We are delighted that Wyre Borough Council has approved plans for the new fish park and we will now be able to move forward with the project.”

Supporting the scheme, which it is hoped will bring hundreds of new jobs in the fish processing sector, Coun Barry Birch said: “Not only should we not look a gift horse in the mouth, we should get on the horse and ride it.

“Every council across the country would love to be in this position, having a scheme like this which will bring jobs and investment.”

The meeting heard from opponents of the scheme, including some of the 75 residents on the nearby Harbour Village estate, who have protested about the siting of the fish park entrance on the estate’s main street, Windward Avenue.

They have called for the application to be rejected until a new location is found for the entrance.

One of the residents, Elaine Littler, of Windward Avenue, said: “I have no objection to the actual industry of the fish park, just the access.

“Having lorries turning into the top of our street would put children walking to school at risk. There is one way in and one way out. There needs to be a separate road and I call on the council to reject it until that is sorted out.”