Blueprint to protect the future of Marton Moss

These would be enough to meet demand from existing residents wishing to build on small pockets of land within the semi-rural area on the edge of Blackpool.

But big developments such as Redwood Point and Magnolia Point, which the Moss has seen in recent years, should not be part of future development strategies.

The recommendations on housing needs are part of the draft Marton Moss Neighbourhood Plan which residents are now being consulted on.

Experts commissioned by the Marton Moss Forum have put together a series of reports after examining key features of the area over the past year.

As well as housing, the plan has assessed footpaths, dykes and the need for open space.

Now people living in the area are being asked to look at the documents online and give their feedback.

Once agreement can be reached, it is hoped the neighbourhood plan will be adopted by Blackpool Council within its Local Plan and the Moss will be designated as a special area when it comes to future development.

Stephen Woodhouse, chairman of the Marton Moss Forum which has co-ordinated the work, said residents wanted some housing but not big scale developments of hundreds of homes.

He said: “Residents want between 28 and 52 new homes over the next 10 years.

“Some would be self-build and others would be on empty plots of land which have fallen into disrepair and need some investment.

“It’s about allowing some development for residents but not for the big builders.

“For example there are families who have land next to their homes where they would like to build somewhere for their children to live, or perhaps an annexe so they can look after an elderly resident.

“It’s about tidying the place up, allowing aspects of social care but not changing the character or aspect of the Moss.”

The Marton Moss Forum was set up last year to hand powers to local people to draw up a future blueprint for area after residents voted in favour of producing their own neighbourhood plan.

Action came in response to fears the area was in danger of becoming over-developed.

In recent years house-builder Kensington Developments has built hundreds of new homes at Magnolia Point on Midgeland Road and Redwood Point on land between Moss House Road and Progress Way.

But the council called a halt to more large-scale building being approved and policies were introduced to prevent further mass housing development on remaining parts of the Moss.

The Neighbourhood Plan has now put forward alternative housing strategies, suggesting at least 20 affordable houses are needed between now and 2030, while 13 of 33 sites looked at were considered suitable for housing development.

In total around 50 homes could be built using mainly small pockets of available land.

It is also hoped to make more of the rural footpaths in the area accessible, while cleaning out the many dykes would improve drainage and waterflow.

The report says there are some “well used and maintained paths on the Moss” but the study “also reveals that several others are obstructed or completely blocked in some way making their use either difficult or impossible”.

It adds: “Also, numerous paths lack signs and stiles or are sub-standard in other ways.”

Another proposal is to create a community park on 27 acres of land around the now derelict Midgeland Farm between School Road and Midgeland Road.

The area is a former landfill site and is currenty closed off to the public, but within the plan it would be protected from future building and developed as community open space.

Also deemed important to the area is retaining green space such as that occupied by football grounds on School Road, and South Shore Tennis Club on Midgeland Road.

Opting for a neighbourhood plan gave the forum access to up to £10,000 of government funding which has been provided mainly through environmental charity Groundworks.

This has paid for experts and consultants including support and guidance from planning specialists at Envisionuk and Locality.

But now the impetus is being passed back to the residents, businesses and land owners of the Moss who must make their feelings known by the end of August.

The council would then hold a referendum on the plan, which if accepted by the majority would be incorporated into the Blackpool Local Plan.

To access the documents, which include easy to digest summaries, and give feedback as part of a short questionnaire, go to www.martonmossforum.org and search under ‘documents’.

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