Councillor in last-ditch bid to save play and games areas in Fleetwood

Thursday, 15 October 2026 14:34

By Central Radio News

A Fleetwood councillor is trying to stage a last-ditch bid to save a much-used children’s play area and multi use games area in Fleetwood.

Cllr Ruth Duffy, who represents the town’s Pharos ward on Wyre Council, says these outdoor amenities, along with the adjacent Milton Street Youth and Community Centre, have now been declared “surplus” by owners Lancashire County Council.

The community centre has been closed for several years for safety reasons and would require major funding to reopen.

If no declarations of interest are put forward by later this month, the whole site looks set for disposal by public auction.

Cllr Duffy says this would be a huge shame, as both the play area and the MUGA are well-used by youngsters from across Fleetwood.

She is set to take the issue to the latest meeting of Fleetwood’s Pride of Place board on Thursday, to see if there is any shared interest in looking into how the site – and in particular the outdoor amenities can be saved.

Fleetwood’s Pride in Place Board (officially the Pride in Fleetwood Board) is a resident-led group established to manage and direct a £20 million central government investment awarded to Fleetwood over a 10-year period, chaired by local GP Professor Mark Spencer.

Labour member Cllr Duffy said: “We are running out of time to save these public facilities, it would be such a shame if the land ended up being sold off and used for something else.

“There is no other MUGA in the area, it would be such a waste if the MUGA and the play area were to be lost.

“I know there would be a lot of work and we’d have to work out the costs, but I’m still hoping there can be a way forward.”

She added: “She added: “I have put a lot of work and effort into securing gradual improvements and repairs to the area.

“I’m also involved regularly in litter picks around the area on my days off from work.”

County Hall has confirmed to Cllr Duffy that the authority’s Estates service will now proceed with the disposal of the site.

Other public sector partners have been approached to see if they have any operational interest in the site.

Should no public sector partners express interest in acquiring the site, the intent is to dispose of the site by public auction.

A spokesman for Reform-led Lancashire County Council previously said: “Lancashire County Council has issued a statutory notice, as legally required, about the possible disposal of the Milton Youth and Community Centre site in Fleetwood. We understand that local residents value this site and may have concerns.”