Town centre set for next upgrade phase

Surveying work on St Andrew’s Road South and The Crescent will precede consultation with traders and landlords.

Subject to formal planning permission, the aim is for the work to start on the two areas in the coming months and Fylde Council’s regeneration chief Paul Drinnan said: “Hopefully by this time next year, that part of town will be looking a whole lot better.”

The work will be the latest phase of town centre improvements covered by planning gain monies, under section 106 of the Planning Act, to a total value of around £500,000, which have come from various recent developments around town, most notably at the Heyhouses site and the former Pontins site on Clifton Drive North.

The work at St Andrew’s Road South and The Crescent follows improvements, including new paving and tree-planting, in much of the rest of the town centre, most recently Park Road, where an £80,000 project was completed last year.

As part of the work, the aim is to emphasises The Crescent’s key identity as a major gateway to the town, with new street lighting is intended as a key feature.

“The first step will be the surveying work and that is especially important in that area where there are quite a lot of unusual features, including split levels,” said Mr Drinnan. “After that we will talk to the people there about the plans. Costs and estimates as to how long the work will take follow from there.

“The council is convinced that these improvements make the town more attractive to visitors and attract investment and promote business confidence.

“This sort of work, in addition to social and tourism-related events, is important in making the borough’s town centres more appealing.

“The work so far has seen great skill by the workers and craftsmen in producing a high-quality scheme. Residents, visitors and traders will benefit for decades to come.”

Arnold Sumner, co-ordinator of St Annes Chamber of Trade: “This work makes a big difference and we look forward to the next phase.”