Multi-million pound sports site unveiled

Businessman and AFC Fylde chairman David Haythornthwaite unveiled proposals yesterday for the land west off Fleetwood Road in Wesham.

The centre, named as the Fylde Sports and Science Park, will include community sports and education facilities as well as new supermarket, retail, leisure, commercial development and a 6,000 capacity stadium for AFC Fylde.

Mr Haythornthwaite said: “This is an ambitious investment in the local economy and has been put together by a team of experts from Lancashire.

“We anticipate we can create up to 200 new jobs over the next three years, many of them for local people.

“It will also provide local schoolchildren with a modern, state-of-the-art sports science facility as well as excellent community sports facilities which will be enjoyed by people of all ages and abilities.

“Our ambition (for AFC Fylde) is to be in the Football League by 2022 and these facilities enable us to achieve that goal.”

Mr Haythornthwaite has brought in the Preston-based Frank Whittle Partnership to draw up the plans, and it is expected he will apply for planning permission next month.

Wesham Coun Alan Clayton raised concerns at the scale of the site. He said: “Overall I have concern for what is being ‘sold’ as a sports complex, to which I would have no objection.

“However, I do have concern for the immense scale of retail and warehouse facilities to support the proposed sports complex.”

Two consultation events will now be held at Escape in Poulton Street, Kirkham, and at Wesham Community Centre. The Kirkham event will be held next Tuesday, between 4.15pm and 7pm, while the Wesham event is the following day at the same times.