Objectors to plans for 99 new green belt homes in Poulton vow to fight scheme all the way

Plans to build nearly 100 homes on a large area of greenspace bordering Carleton, Poulton and Blackpool is attracting massive opposition from residents and Wyre councillors.

An outline application for residential development of up to 99 dwellings and associated open space, landscaping and infrastructure has been lodged with planners at Wyre.

The proposals have been earmarked for a large area of farmland off The Lane, bounded by Blackpool Road and Blackpool Old Road and to the east of Carleton Crematorium.

If approved, it would be the latest development which has seen many hundreds of new homes built in the area in and around Poulton within the past five years.

But already some 200 objections to the plans have been lodged with Wyre’s planning portal.

In addition, the scheme is being strongly opposed by a cross-party group of councillors who have vowed to fight it all the way, stating that the development would be catastrophic for the Carleton and Poulton areas which are already feeling the negative effects of other recent developments.

The application, proposed by Blackpool Council, has a complex history, with a version of the scheme having already been rejected by Wyre but approved on appeal by the Planning Inspectorate.

Cllr Lesley McKay, a Conservative councillor for Poulton’s Tithebarn ward, has called in the application in order for it to be determined by Wyre’s planning committee, due to the size and impact on the neighbourhood and road safety concerns.

She said: “This road cannot take another 100 houses. Previous housing developments have already left the road in a terrible state.

“It is devastating what has happened to the area, losing greenspace and endangering the wildlife, creating a problem at the level crossing, ruining the road surface and making it hazardous.

“We just haven’t got the infrastructure to deal with such a large development and I’m hoping that Lancashire County Highways will support our concerns.

“We’re already at breaking point and those of us who are objecting to this will fight it all the way.”

Cllr Collette Birch, Tithebarn’s other Conserative councillor, said: “We’re massively against this development.

“It can already take up to 20 minutes to get into Poulton because of the traffic. This can only make things worse.”

Cllr Andrew Walker, a Labour councillor for Carleton said: “The residents of Carleton have had to put up with quite a lot, with a lot of development in the last few years.

“The state of the roads, the mud that’s going up people’s drives, the damage to cars that’s been reported. People have already had enough.

“We’re not too happy with Blackpool Council for puting this in but we’re going to argue againts this the best we can.”

A planning statement in support of the application says: “The scale of development proposed is in keeping with the scale and function of Poulton-le-Fylde as one of the main towns in the district and there is also no reason why a high quality design could not be secured in line with relevant Development Plan policy.

“Ultimately, when the economic, social and environmental impacts are considered together, the proposals comprise sustainable development and there are no impacts which outweigh the aforementioned benefits.

“Moreover, the application complies with the relevant policies of the adopted Local Plan and as such, outline permission ought to be granted.”