Fylde Council issues major update after attempts to fix St Anne's Boating Lake fail
“While the repair works were completed successfully, the subsequent refill operation demonstrated that the underlying issue is more significant than originally anticipated.
Fylde Council has confirmed a major setback on the future of St Anne’s Boating Lake after attempts to stop water from draining have failed.
The lake was drained by the council at the end of June after water levels dropped dramatically, allowing for de-silting and renovations to be carried out.
Over half a tonne of bitumen was used to restore cracked and broken joints before the lake was refilled with seawater, but shortly after the water levels began to drop again.
Fylde Council has now completely refrained St Anne’s Boating Lake for a second time, and has announced that the lake will remain empty for the foreseeable future whilst other repair options are explored.
A Fylde Council spokesperson said: “While the repair works were completed successfully, the subsequent refill operation demonstrated that the underlying issue is more significant than originally anticipated.
“Despite being refilled, water levels reduced rapidly over the following week, indicating that water is not simply escaping through isolated joints but is likely seeping through wider areas of the ageing concrete structure itself.
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“Engineering observations suggest that the lake’s nearly 100-year-old concrete base has become increasingly porous in places, allowing significant water loss.
“This means that further short-term patch repairs are unlikely to resolve the problem. Repeating the recent refill exercise at the next available high tide window in August would therefore carry a significant cost and operational commitment, with little prospect of achieving a different outcome.
“For that reason, the Council has decided not to undertake another refill attempt at this stage.”
The boating lake, which dates back more than a century, is one of St Annes' best-known attractions and is used for boating, events and wildlife.
Some of the repair options the council could explore include the installation of a specialist liner system, sprayed waterproof membranes or a more comprehensive joint renewal.
The statement added: “Any long-term solution would also need to consider the provision of storage and maintenance facilities should boating activities be reintroduced in the future, alongside improvements to the lake’s water supply arrangements.
“The Council will now prepare a detailed options appraisal to establish the most appropriate long-term future for the site. This work will examine both the feasibility and cost of the water retention lining options for the boating lake, alongside alternative uses that could attract external investment and complement wider regeneration ambitions for St Annes seafront.