Poulton building site where 102 homes are being developed is underwater again

The flooded land is intended to be the foundations for four one-bed, eight two-bed, 66 three-bed and 24 four-bed mews-style houses, built by developers Seddon Homes Ltd and their partners.

However, little progress appears to have been made onsite since the scheme was approved in December 2020.

Ashley Sorensen, of the Wyre Council Residents Concerns and Actions Group, said: "I think if they are going to build there, they are going to do it no matter what, but all it will do is push the water somewhere else, and the drains can't take it. I think it's very concerning.

"Effectively we are being faced with an increasing number of properties in Wyre, which are supposed to be off-set by increasing provisions for residents - but we've had nothing. Unfortunately this place is becoming nothing more than a property developer's dream."

This is not the first time the Holts Lane site has been flooded.

In June last year, a 10 tonne JCB digger sank into the mud on the site and remained stuck there for several days despite attempts to remove it.

READ: Digger sinks into bog at waterlogged Poulton building siteIn October, with one resident compared the site to 'a boating lake', while another said he 'couldn't wait for the boats to be put on'.

A Wyre Council spokesman said permission to develop the site was originally granted by the Government’s Planning Inspectorate, and that none of the land lies within designated flood zones 2 or 3.

It does, however, lie adjacent to the River Wyre, designated a main river by the Environment Agency.

They said: "It is a matter for the developer, Seddon Homes, to be aware of and appropriately manage and deal with ground conditions within their site, although they may wish to liaise with Lancashire County Council (as lead local flood authority) and/or the Environment Agency, given the proximity to watercourse.

"Wyre Council approved the ‘reserved matters’ planning application in 2020 subject to conditions on (amongst other things) sustainable drainage, design, layout, finished floor-levels and discharged said conditions in consultation with the lead local flood authority and the Environment Agency."

Mr Sorensen said: "At the end of the day, it's not Wyre Council's loss, because if they have given the correct instructions to develop that land they can relinquish any responsibility and hand that over solely to the builders, when this development should never have been approved in the first place."

Seddon Homes was approached for comment.

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