The Fleetwood, Cleveleys and Poulton projects of 2024 boosted by £3.9m Levelling Up grant

New community projects are to be launched in 2024 in Fleetwood, Cleveleys and Poulton thanks to the support of £3.9m Levelling Up funding.

They include a dance festival in Fleetwood, enhancement of a green space in Poulton and an art festival in Cleveleys.

There are also plans to upgrade the CCTV systems in Wyre's urban areas to support public safety.

In December 2022 Wyre Council secured the Levelling Up grant for UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) projects.

In order to secure the funding, Wyre Council submitted an investment plan proposal to government outlining projects that the funding would be used for.

The projects are now ongoing and in November Wyre Council became the first English district to be visited by the Government's UKSPF Director, visiting Fleetwood to learn more about some of these schemes.

Carmen Suarez Garcia, Director for Levelling Up: Major Programmes said: "The visit to Fleetwood has provided a great opportunity to gain a better ‘on the ground’ understanding of the impact of funding on specific projects, their progress and relevance, as well as of the aspirations and future potential plans for the area.’

There are numerous projects in Wyre, including Garstang.

Here are just a few of the Fylde coast projects.

Fleetwood

Community Dance Festival project – An inclusive dance, music and arts festival programme for the whole community. The project uses the medium of dance to bring people together, strengthen communities, and build pride in place. The public festival planned for Memorial Park, Fleetwood in July 2024, and will be followed by a series of pop-up performances from through to August.

HAZ Cultural Programme event – The project will create an enhanced opportunity for Fleetwood residents and visitors, of all ages, to engage with the unique heritage of the town in a way that has never been seen or experienced before. The event will be delivered over three days in December 2024.

Tram Sunday and Spare Parts Festival – UKSPF has enabled this two-pronged project to introduce a new community arts concept, that enhances and expands the Festival’s artistic parade through content made and co-curated by the community and professional artists.

Fleetwood Market Improvements – The project will reinstate historic features of the nineteenth century Market Hall and improve its appearance and working environment, supporting Wyre Council’s aspirations to improve the townscape along with the heritage and cultural offer in the town centre. 

Cleveleys

Multiple Arts project – Events include community arts projects to enliven the town, engage people, promote reuse and recycling, improve busy gateways and build on the existing Mythic Coast narrative. There are a number of planned events and activities in planned, which are in brief: · Cleveleys Arts festival, bringing the Mythic Coast to life, supported by the globally recognised artist Christian Fenn · Winterval, a series of themed activities, events and entertainment through to mid- February · Celebrate Cleveleys, a celebration of the town, its people and its volunteers in a harvest festival/thanksgiving theme · Home-grown street theatre, working with local performing arts schools/colleges to develop its own street theatre based around the story of the Mythic Coast.

Poulton

Cottam Hall Playing Fields Masterplan – The master plan for the ‘Fields’ and redevelopment of the pavilion will serve to inform and create a high-quality and well-designed leisure and recreation space, to which local people of all ages will feel connected to, enjoy and be proud of. It will inform how the current Fields’ offer can be enhanced to create an improved multi-functional area promoting interaction between visitors, and accommodating use by community and sports groups.

Thornton

Gateway to Wyre Estuary Country Park – The project will create a welcoming and accessible gateway to Wyre Estuary Country Park. It will improve access for all provision on the public right of way between Skippool and Stanah and at the picnic areas, improving green space.

Wyre wide projects

CCTV Project - The project seeks to significantly improve community safety, protecting people and assets, and supporting Lancashire Police with the detection and prevention of crime.