Multi-million pound Fisherman’s Friend factory held up by reptile

A multi-million pound scheme to construct a gleaming new purpose-built Fisherman’s Friend factory in Fleetwood appears to have been held up – by the appearance of some protected wildlife.

Councillors at Wyre gave the green light, on September 6, 2023, to an application for the erection of a building for the manufacture and distribution of lozenges, on land south of Windward Avenue.

The application includes a main production area, warehouse, engineering and services area, an office block for staff, a link area containing staff canteen and staff facilities, the erection of a detached security lodge/gate house by the site entrance, the including the creation of a new access off Windward Avenue and associated drainage works including a pond, landscaping, car parking and ecological mitigation.

Plans for the ultra-modern factory will take the world famous lozenge maker into the 21st century.

But despite being given the green light, a number of planning conditions have needed to be met before building work can begin.

And one of the last planning conditions cannot now be discharged for several months – because of “reptiles” on the site.

Earlier this month, a new application was lodged with Wyre planners seeking permission for a variation of planning condition 10, effectively calling a halt on the work required.

This condition called for the applicants to submit a remediation strategy including any sampling of the groundwaters on the site and groundwater profiling.

However, this cannot be done until three months down the line, the new application stated.

Planning papers explained: “Clearance of scrub and ongoing reptile translocation works on site, that must be carried out in spring and summer outside the hibernation period, is preventing access for the piling rig to the southern end of the site, until reptile translocation is complete in approximately 3 months’ time.

“This will cause a significant delay to the programme preventing the building opening on programme to meet the client’s needs.

“The three boreholes in the North of the site have been completed and lab results received. The works will be carried out as necessary, just not prior to commencement of the ground clearance and piling.”

It is not clear precisely what kind of reptile is involved.

A submitted document outlining work on biodiversity, states: “If any protected species are discovered during construction or other works on site, which are likely to be affected by the development, work must cease immediately.

“The owner/ site manager shall then seek the advice of a suitably qualified and experienced ecologist, and outcomes shall only proceed following the advice they provide.

“It is understood that the development shall be delivered on a phased basis. Therefore, it is recommended that any ongoing grounds management care be continued until the point of the final construction and hand over.

“Any neglect of the site may necessitate additional ground preparation with respect to impact on reptile translocation works and may invalidate the Construction Environment Management Plan (Biodiversity).”

Lofthouse of Fleetwood, a major employer in the town and whose lozenges have long been a successful global band, currently has its factory building on Maritime Street.

But the lozenge-maker says a new factory is needed and the company bought the site from Associated British Ports (ABP) for an undisclosed sum.

Lofthouse of Fleetwood, which currently employs more than 300 people, was turned into a global brand by business pioneer and philanthropist Doreen Lofthouse OBE, who died in March 2021 aged 91

The factory remains one of the largest employers in Fleetwood.