Major uproar at plans for 100-home development in Fylde countryside village

A lush meadow which has been part of people’s childhood memories in the Kirkham and Wesham area for generations desperately needs saving from a massive housing scheme, say campaigners.

Residents are protesting about plans to build up to 128 homes on the outskirts of Wesham – and say the town’s character and the future of the much-loved Towns Hill field are under threat.

Developer Northern Trust has lodged proposals with Fylde Council planners to build the new estate on land south of Mowbreck Lane, including a large part of Towns Hill.

Northern Trust states that its proposals will offer a well-designed, sustainable development that supports local housing needs while delivering wider community benefits.

But residents have set up a petition, in the name of K Whiteside, to challenge the application and by Wednesday this week (September 16) the campaign had gathered 1,983 signatures. Lancashire County Council and MP Andrew snowden are also opposing the plans.

In addition to that, campaigners calling themselves the Towns Hill Action Group are also holding a fundraising garden fete this Saturday.

The aim is to raise enough funds to pay for legal advice to challenge the housing proposals.

Among those involved is Phil Swarbrick, 64, who lives on the Wesham side of the Towns Hill Field but grew up on the other side of it, in Kirkham.

He says there has always been a right of way through the field but now there is a new sign advising that it is no longer accessible.

Phil said: “What they are proposing will kill something really special.

“So many people around here grew up with the Townshill, they played there as children and hung around there as young people.

“From my house I can see the tree I used to climb when I was a kid. if things continue we’ll all be living in a concrete jungle and it will be too late to do anything about it. We’re trying to fight it.”

The garden fete is taking place at Wesham Doorstep Green, the green space on the corner of Derby Road and Park Lane, from 11.30am to 4.30pm, and will include 18 stalls, a bouncy castle and a dog show, among other activities.

The online petition set up under the name of K Whiteside and states: “Once a place of picturesque fields and serene countryside, our town is now facing the threat of over-development.

“Concrete structures are taking over the lush landscapes, bringing not just traffic and noise, but also significant environmental repercussions. This relentless construction spree is not just stripping away our town’s natural beauty, but it is also pushing our local wildlife into near extinction.

“Now they want to build another 128 dwellings south of Mowbreck Lane.

“The unbridled development is a blatant disregard of our collective responsibility to protect the environment. With every tree felled and every plot cemented, we are inching closer to a future we will regret.”

The campaign is being supported by Lancashire County Council member for Fylde East, Cllr Josh Roberts who said: “I share these concerns one hundred percent.

“There are other, more suitable brownfield sites to build this many homes on. Bit by bit our green spaces and rural environments are being destroyed, and the character of Wesham is under threat too.”

He said he was objecting to the proposals on the grounds of highways, schools and flooding. Local schools were already struggling to accommodate pupils, he said, and the potential addition of up to 300 more children would put immense pressure on resources, with no new school planned for the application.

Lancashire County Council (LCC) Highways has also raised concerns regarding junction capacity on Mowbreck Lane/Garstang Road North and withheld support pending developer solutions, while MP Mr Snowden objectsto the size and scale of the plans and the traffic impact.

The proposals are still in the early stages and more detailed issues such as layout, appearance and landscaping will be determined at a later stage, pending approval of the scheme.

The petition can be viewed here: https://www.change.org/p/stop-building-in-our-little-town?source_location=search