Minister's delight at Fylde sea defences

Environment Minister Rebecca Pow has declared herself very impressed with the Fairhaven sea defences - and is looking forward to St Annes benefiting shortly from a similar development.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Ms Pow, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whose ministerial portfolio includes the domestic natural environment, climate change adaptation, land use and floods and water, was in Fylde to take up an invitation from the local MP Mark Menzies and was delighted to have the opportunity to take a first-hand look at the £21m Fairhaven project, which was completed last year.

The project by the Environment Agency in conjunction wit Fylde Council has provided new sea defence protection from Fairhaven Lake to Lytham, including a new look waterfront path at Granny's Bay and Ms Pow said: "It's wonderful."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Her visit coincided with confirmation being received by Fylde Council from the Environment Agency that a similar coastal protection scheme at The Island, St Annes, costing £12.1m, could go ahead and it is hoped work on it can start early in 2023, with a projected completion date of summer 2024.

Environment Minister Rebecca Pow at Fairhaven with Andy Shore, , Environment Agency senior advisor and coastal engineer; Coun Michael Sayward, chairman of Fylde Council's tourism and leisure committee, Mark Menzies MP and Steve Ball,  Fylde Council chief engineer.Environment Minister Rebecca Pow at Fairhaven with Andy Shore, , Environment Agency senior advisor and coastal engineer; Coun Michael Sayward, chairman of Fylde Council's tourism and leisure committee, Mark Menzies MP and Steve Ball,  Fylde Council chief engineer.
Environment Minister Rebecca Pow at Fairhaven with Andy Shore, , Environment Agency senior advisor and coastal engineer; Coun Michael Sayward, chairman of Fylde Council's tourism and leisure committee, Mark Menzies MP and Steve Ball, Fylde Council chief engineer.
Read More
£12m funding for St Annes sea wall gets go-ahead for design that retains much-lo...

"I am sure that will be the case with the St Annes development, too, and that will be wonderful for the local businesses there.

"This Government knows how important it is to invest in such projects and it's wonderful to see the benefits they bring."

Ms Pow also joined Mr Menzies in visiting a number of inland sites around Fylde where flooding has been a problem and pledged that everything possible would be done to tackle the issue.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mr Menzies said: "It was a pleasure to welcome the Minister to Fylde and to show her the work which is going on to protect our communities and improve our coastline.

"The scheme at Fairhaven, finished last year, is a brilliant example of the transformation investment can deliver. The new sea wall not only protects thousands of homes and businesses from flooding, it attracts visitors to the Fylde.

"At St Annes we are at the start of the same process and the Minister was keen to hear about the works Fylde Council is planning.

"For me this is about far more than sea defences, it is very much a part of St Annes regeneration.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"This is about investment in St Annes, making it a great place for tourists to come, supporting the Fylde economy, and a great place for local people to live and work."

It is thanks to our loyal readers that we can continue to provide the trusted news, analysis and insight that matters to you. For unlimited access to our unrivalled local reporting, you can take out a subscription here and help support the work of our dedicated team of reporters.

Support us and become a subscriber today. Enjoy unlimited access to local news, the latest football stories and new puzzles every day. With a digital subscription, you can see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Click here to subscribe

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.