Plans for ‘new town’ passed by councillors

Councillors have agreed to outline planning permission for a new 1,400 homes development on Whyndyke Farm

Fylde Council’s development management committee agreed to the plans for 1,400 homes, a school, workplaces and leisure facilities at Whyndyke Farm on Wednesday.

But the plans have to be approved by Blackpool Council, which owns part of the land, before construction can start.

Coun Richard Redcliffe said the application had impressed Fylde’s development management committee.

He said: “When I looked at this application I have to say I was rather refreshed and read it with enthusiasm and excitement.

“A look at the development showed this is not just about housing – it is a new town or large village.

“One of the things that just comes through is it is not just a housing development but a community development.

“I know we are only looking at outline permission but it seems quite a lot of factors have been taken into account – sports pitches, allotments, shops.”

Coun Linda Nulty added: “This is more or less a new town but if you get the mix right from the start it will benefit everyone.”

The development will see 1,400 houses built, nearly 50 acres allocated to industrial, storage or distribution use, a primary school, two neighbourhood shopping areas, a pub, a health centre and a community centre.

Roads will link the site to Preston New Road and Mythop Road, and other elements of the scheme will include car parking, public open space, sports pitches and allotments.

Employment land will be to the south of the site, with the primary school on the southern fringe of the housing development and shopping areas proposed to the north of the employment area.

Blackpool Council is to meet on the plans later this month.

What could the Whyndyke Farm development bring to the region?

The large scale development at Whyndyke Farm – which will take about 15 years to develop in full – is mainly within Fylde Council’s jurisdiction so is set to relieve the borough’s housing demand.

And developers say as well as 1,400 new homes, a school and community facilities, the ambitious plans, which were first revealed four years ago, are set to attract new firms and create new jobs for the area.

The proposals, for land between Mythop Road, Preston New Road and the M55 motorway owned by the Oyston family and Northern Trust, have been on the cards since being submitted by the applicant, named only as Whyndyke, in 2011. But Blackpool Council must now agree to the proposals.