Fleetwood's Lighthouse View housing project further stalled by lockdown

Residents have still yet to move into the Lighthouse View extra care extra care project on the corner of Chatsworth Avenue and Wansbeck Avenue.

Housing group Regenda originally hoped that work would be completed in December and that the first residents would be able to move into the some of the 72 high quality one and two-bedroom apartments by January.

The three storey building had been nearing completion at the end of December, with only some internal wok left to finish, when construction firm Bardsley went bust, bringing progress to a halt..

Three months on, and just as work was about to resume, this time with Regenda’s in house firm M&Y Maintenance and Construction, progress has again been brought to standstill by the lockdown resulting from the pandemic.

However, this week Regenda vowed that work would re-commence as soon as the national shutdown was over.

A spokesman said: “We can confirm that M&Y Maintenance and Construction will complete the remainder of works on Lighthouse View, Fleetwood.

“Work was expected to recommence in early April, however given the current coronavirus situation this is on hold.

“The main construction is complete, and we plan to finish off the remaining works once Government guidance declares it is safe to do so.

“Security will remain on site and we will continue to communicate with those due to move in and with residents in the surrounding area about the progress of the scheme.”

“The remainder of the works largely involve the interior finish of the scheme.”

Asked if there was any projected timescale for residents to move in, the spokesman added: “We are monitoring the situation closely to ensure we can get back on site and enable people to move into their new homes, as quickly and safety as possible.”

Regenda has sought to reassure neighbouring residents to the scheme, on the West View estate, who were concerned that the collapse of Bardsley could spell delay in road and pavement repairs in the wake of a huge building project there.

The Bardsley Group collapsed into administration before Christmas, with 200 employees losing their jobs just before the festivities.

The Lighthouse View project is one of Regenda’s flagship enterprises and it has replaced the much smaller Wansbeck House, a sheltered housing complex which was demolished.

Lighthouse View is more prestigious and will even include a cafe, which will also be open to the public.

But the construction phase has caused consternation among immediate neighbours of the building, which dwarfs the houses around it.

Some say that huge lorries have shaken the foundations of their homes and caused cracks in walls.

Other critics say the planning application should have been determined by councillors at a full planning meeting, given its size and scale.

Meanwhile, on another Regenda site, demolition of the former Marine View apartments on The Esplanade, in preparation for the construction of new flats, has now been completed and the site closed and secured for the time being.