april2023 – Fylde Council

Lytham Festival 2023 Receives Licensing Approval for Trialled Increase in Capacity After Careful Deliberation

Fylde Council — Fri, 28 Apr 2023 14:17:24 +0000

Following an extensive deliberation process, the Fylde Council’s licensing panel has approved a limited increase in capacity for two days only of the 2023 Lytham Festival. Proposals from the organisers for an increase in capacity of 25% for 2024 and subsequent years were rejected. The panel also added a condition that a community liaison group be established to empower discussion between the event organisers and residents. The footprint of the arena will also increase.

As the relevant Licensing Authority, Fylde Council had received an application which would have allowed for an increase in the maximum number of attendees at the festival from 19,999 to 29,999. After 71 representations from members of the public opposed to the increase, the organisers modified their proposals so as to cap the maximum number of persons to 22,500 on the Friday and Sunday of the 2023 festival, keeping the limit of 19,999 on the other days of the festival in that same year, and increasing to 24,999 attendees on all days of the festival from 2024 onwards.

As representations in objection persisted following the adjustments to the application, Fylde Council’s Licensing Panel was required to determine the application. The Licensing Panel on Thursday 26 April 2023 at United Reformed Church in Lytham St Annes was attended by numerous representatives from the local community, both speaking in support of and in objection to the application, as well as representatives from the event organisers Live Nation (Music) UK Ltd.

At the hearing it became apparent most who objected were concerned primarily about the impact on the local community of a large number of people arriving for, accessing and leaving the festival. These concerns were considered by the Licensing Panel and balanced against the economic and reputational benefits of hosting the annual festival. The panel agreed with many of the concerns expressed and so decided to grant a much smaller increase than the organisers had requested, and to limit the increase to this year’s festival.

The formal decision of the panel was therefore:

To grant the licence as applied for, subject to the mandatory conditions, conditions reflecting the operating schedule, and the following conditions:

A condition that the maximum number of attendees at the festival at any one time is limited to 19,999, except for Friday 30 June 2023 and Sunday 2 July 2023, when the maximum will be 22,500, unless (for any date) the Safety Advisory Group recommends that the maximum number should be lower.
A condition that the applicant should assist in setting up a community liaison group whose remit will be to facilitate discussion between the applicant and the local community about the festival, which will be coordinated by Fylde Borough Council or such other person or body as the council approves, and which will comprise such representatives of the local community in Lytham and a senior responsible representative of the applicant.

Fylde Council’s Tourism & Leisure Committee also met in the evening of 27 April 2023 to consider ground landlord consent for the larger stadium and additional parking. This was granted in principle for 2023, subject to revised commercial terms being agreed with the festival operators. This will allow the Council to gauge the impact of increased festival goers on the local community in considering any more permanent expansion of the festival arena and car parking arrangements.

Lytham Festival has been a fixture of the Fylde’s cultural calendar since its inception in 2010 as Lytham Proms, regularly attracting visitors from across the UK and beyond, and drawing in big-name artists from around the globe, having grown from a one-night event to a five-day festival with a variety of headliners.

The agenda of the 26 April 2023 Licensing Panel and the full text decision notice can be found on the Fylde Council website here, discussing in more detail the nuances of the decision and the factors considered.

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Stunning Graffiti Mural Unveiled in St Annes Crescent Gardens

Fylde Council — Fri, 21 Apr 2023 14:13:09 +0000

An eye-catching new mural has been unveiled in St Annes at the completion of the Crescent Gardens art project.

The mural, produced by local professional artist Karl Tsang of Graffiti Pro, adorns the back and sides of the electrical substation located in Crescent Gardens and depicts a breathtakingly detailed forest scene with birds and beasts peering out at the viewer, with the textured surface of the building adding an extra layer of depth.

Funded jointly by St Anne’s on the Sea Town Council, a Fylde Community Grant, and a contribution from Fylde Council’s own parks and green spaces budget, the artwork represents the culmination of a project six years in the making.

Monica Pople, local resident and member of the Friends of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee Gardens whose efforts were instrumental in bringing the project into fruition, gave a short speech thanking all the partners involved. Acknowledgements were made to St Anne’s on the Sea Town Council, St Annes in Bloom, the Friends of St Anne’s Station, Fylde Council’s Parks and Gardens team, the Fylde Ranger Service, Karl himself, and his apprentice Imogen, for all their hard work.

Monica was delighted with the final mural, saying: “It was 2017 that the original committee met to discuss a project to enliven these gardens, and to see it turn out so beautifully really is wonderful.”

Artist Karl Tsang spoke about taking inspiration from the area itself: “The brief I was given was quite an open one, which can be freeing and challenging at the same time, but when I came and saw the site, I immediately knew exactly the design that would work the best.”

Now that the artwork is complete, the next step will be the reintroduction of shrubs and plants around the substation to bring even more life back to the gardens.

For more information about parks and green spaces in Fylde, visit the Fylde Council website, and follow the Fylde Rangers Service on Facebook!

St Annes sea wall project update

Fylde Council — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 13:09:56 +0000

The planning application for the St Annes Seawall Coast Protection Scheme has been submitted and is now available to view at the following link: https://pa.fylde.gov.uk/Planning/Display/23/0082

The current sea wall protects over 400 properties and businesses from coastal erosion and flooding. However, it is nearly 90 years old and is approaching the end of its design life with frequent repairs required, and an estimated residual life expectancy of ten years.

The existing sea wall is in a poor state of repair, requires constant maintenance and often overtops during storms resulting in damage to the promenade, the flooding of two car parks, the swimming pool and fitness centre plant room, and flooding up to the door thresholds of the cinema, casino, amusement, and restaurant complex.

Due to the low comparative height to the beach, overtopping and flooding frequently occur which is set to increase in line with current climate change predictions.

For the new sea defence to protect St Annes over its predicted design life of 100 years, studies have confirmed that the new sea wall promenade level needs to be approximately 2m higher than the existing promenade, together with a 1m high setback wall.

The existing seawall which extends 660m around Pleasure Island, was constructed in 1935. It is one of three strategic headlands which are critical to maintaining healthy beaches and dunes and reducing the risk of coastal erosion along Fylde Council’s frontage.

A feasibility study was conducted in 2021 which extended from the Water’s Edge Café at the northern end, to the southern end of the Miniature Links Golf Course and a preferred option was developed.

In October 2021, the Environment Agency approved a £12.1m pound fund towards the project.

Following public consultation on the preferred option, a detailed design has been developed for the scheme and the planning application has now been submitted. It is available to view on the Council’s website at the following link: https://pa.fylde.gov.uk/Planning/Display/23/0082

To comment on the application, please email planning@fylde.gov.uk quoting the 23/0082 reference in the subject by 12 May 2023.

If planning permission is granted for the scheme, details regarding the estimated start and completion dates for the works will be shared and published on the Council’s website.

Ends

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Splash Park Reopening for 2023!

Fylde Council — Fri, 14 Apr 2023 13:21:24 +0000

The Splash Park in St Annes Promenade Gardens is ready to reopen for 2023 from 15 April 2023 with the introduction of a £1 charge per child up to one hour.

First opened in 2019, the Splash water play area has proven immensely popular with families, whether visiting from afar or living locally, and offers a fantastic range of features including spray loops, water sprays, bucket drops, water domes and a small section for paddling.

The fee of £1 was chosen to ensure that the facility is affordable to all, with similar private beach activities charging significantly higher rates and pricing many visitors out. Please pay on arrival by card – please note no cash is taken. The £1 payment only applies to the children using the facility; there is no charge for accompanying adults.

The revenue from the small charge will contribute towards the ongoing costs of operating the Splash Park and ensuring its continued sustainability.

The facility has a restricted capacity and could get booked quickly. The health and safety of our customers and staff is our number one priority. Do not visit Splash if you show any Covid-19 symptoms.

Bookings:

Splash entry is £1 per child up to 1 hour.
Splash is specifically designed for children 3 years – 12 years. Children need to be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian.
Opening times are from 10.00am to 4.00pm, 7 days per week.
Available session start times: 10.00am, 11.15am, 12.30pm, 13,45pm, 15.00pm.
Bookable sessions are for up to 60 minutes. There is a 15-minute break between each session to ensure the safe exit of users and cleaning of the facility.
Booking is essential and must be done in person via a card payment for a same-day session. No cash is taken and online booking is currently not available.
A special, weekly 1 hour session is available for the under 5’s: 10.00am every Monday.
A special, weekly 1 hour session is available for children with disabilities and SEN: 10.00am every Tuesday. No age restriction applies.
Fylde Council reserve the right to occasionally close Splash as a result of inclement weather, extra cleaning or system maintenance. Updates will be provided on the Splash Facebook page.

On Arrival:

A simple one-way system is in place to ensure the safe entry and exit of users – please let staff guide you on arrival.
Please speak to our helpful staff to check session availability and book your slot.
A sanitisation point is located at the entrance of facility.
Please be respectful of other users and staff and help us keep the facility clean and hygienic by using the bins provided.
A whistle will sound at the end of each session and users must exit the facility quickly to enable staff to adequately prepare the facility for the next session.

For more information about Splash, visit the Discover Fylde webpage.