Flooding fears could sink housing plans for edge of Blackpool

Planning applications have been submitted to build 350 homes on land at Cropper Road West, and 142 homes on land at the junction of Bambers Lane and School Road.

Both submissions have been lodged with Fylde Council, which is the planning authority for the area, but the land is close to the Blackpool boundary with Marton Moss.

The Environment Agency is objecting to both schemes, warning they are both located within Flood Zone 3 on its Flood Map for Planning which is defined as "having high probability of flooding".

Part of the Bambers Lane scheme is also in Flood Zone 2, which has a "medium probability of flooding".

A letter dated this month in response to the application for 350 homes says the Environment Agency's objection can only be overcome if the builder can show "the proposed development would be safe for its lifetime (including climate change impacts) without increasing risk elsewhere and where possible reduces flood risk overall."

Wain Homes wants to extend the estate it is already building on the Whitehills Park side of Cropper Road, while Darwen-based BAK Building Contracts Ltd has submitted a full application for the site at the junction of Bambers Lane and School Road.

The latter, which is just under 10 acres and is currently being used for grazing horses, has been earmarked for a range of one, two and three bedroomed properties aimed at the affordable end of the market.

A design brief accompanying the application says the development would "create a balanced and mixed community delivering quality and choice homes, including 43 affordable homes of social rent and intermediate tenure."

It adds the aim is to "create a high quality sustainable residential neighbourhood which maintains and enhances the key existing landscape features, integrating the site into the wider area, providing a meaningful start to the wider masterplan."