‘We’re a village – not a town’

That was the message after 170 villagers met to discuss the threat of over-development in Wrea Green.

Appeals are set to be heard on four proposed developments in the village, which have previously been rejected by Fylde Council’s development management committee, later this year.

The meeting, held at Wrea Green Institute on Thursday evening, was called by Ribby with Wrea Parish Council.

A plan for 55 homes in the village has already been given the green light.

Coun John Molyneux, the council’s vice chairman, said: “We feel that’s our quota because we are a village and we’re a farming village, and we feel we don’t want to be growing into a small town.

“We know it’s happening all over the Fylde but we feel we’ve had our share.

“The meeting went very well and the feeling was very unanimous.” Representatives from the recently formed pressure group Community Association for the Protection of Wrea Green (CAPOW) were also present at the meeting.

CAPOW chairman John Rowson said: “The issues got across.

“Bearing in mind there are around 1,200 in the villages it’s about 10 per cent of the population.

“It was a reasonable turnout rather than a marvellous turnout.

“It affects the whole village - it affects us because of shops, traffic, sewerage and surface water.”

Battle in the parishes....

Four of the proposed sites, at North View Farm, Moss Side Lane, and two off Bryning Lane, have all been turned down by Fylde Council’s development management committee but are currently going through the appeal process.

Plans for 55 homes on Richmond Avenue in the village were approved by Fylde Council in January last year.

Speaking previously to The Gazette Coun Janet Wardell, who is chairman of the parish council, described the issue as “massive” for the village.

She said: “It would near enough join us up with Wesham and Kirkham, and also shoot us off towards Moss Side and Warton.”

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