PROTECT WYRE GROUP
Fleetwood Civic Society Fleetwood Hotel & Guest House Assoc.
Over Wyre Action Group
Poulton Historical & Civic Society Poulton Residents Association
Thornton Action Group Save Our Bay Group
Email: sec@pwgroup.org.uk www.pwgroup.org.uk
Secretary: Frank Warwick Chairman: Ian Mulroy
25 Victoria Street Village Farm, 194 Park Lane,
Fleetwood Preesall, Poulton-le-Fylde
FY7 6BS FY6 0NW
Tel: (01253) 876920 Tel: (01253) 813433
Canatxx Gas Storage Proposal – Planning Application
The Planning Committee of Wyre Borough Council (WBC) is meeting on Monday 5th April at 2:00pm in the Marine Hall, Fleetwood to discuss the above proposal.Whilst Lancashire County Council will make the final decision within the county as to whether the
application is approved or rejected, Wyre Borough Council has an important role to play as a consultee.
This is the possibly the biggest issue which has ever confronted or is ever likely to confront WBC.
Communities on both sides of the Wyre, from Fleetwood via Thornton-Cleveleys and Poulton in the west, to Hambleton, Stalmine, Preesall and Knott End in the east, are extremely concerned about this proposal, so much so that nearly 11,000 people have individually written to Lancashire County Council stating their objections.
Residents were asked to write to Lancashire County Council as the determining authority rather than Wyre Borough, so it is important to illustrate the breadth and spread of opposition that the figures from LCC, with a postal code breakdown, are made available at the Planning Committee meeting on the 5th.
Canatxx produced a 3 volume document in support of its application, which has been available to study at the Civic Centre and at Fleetwood and Knott End Libraries. These volumes amount to the application, the environmental statement and the appendices. On a matter of such magnitude and one which concerns so many residents, it is vitally important that all Wyre Borough Councillors read and understand fully these documents and the safety and environmental implications of this proposal.
The Protect Wyre Group (PWG) is an umbrella organisation of the residents groups listed at the top of this page and our intention in writing to you is to counteract and refute some of the claims made by Canatxx in their document and to highlight the some of our concerns.
A summary of our points of objection and a more detailed account of them are appended to this letter and PWG will be pleased to discuss any point with you further.
Don’t be swayed by Canatxx’s claim that they are making this proposal to meet the needs of the National Interest or by the insinuations that the government have stated that they want this development here.
There is an environmentally friendly and safe alternative which very simply involves restocking the depleted gas fields in Morecambe Bay. There is proven and safe technology and many examples worldwide of such sites and these depleted gas fields have stored gas safely for millions of years. Their safety track record inunenviable.
There would be no need to turn parts of Morecambe Bay into a ‘dead sea’ nor would there be any threat to the local environment.
This alternative proposal would also remove the risk of Wyre Borough Council or LCC having to pick up a potential bill for many millions of pounds should they have to assume responsibility for the operation if things went wrong in future. Canatxx are not insuring WBC or LCC against such an eventuality.
Finally, it is particularly poignant to remember that this year, the 23rd of May is the 20th anniversary of the disaster at Abbeystead, when a huge explosion of underground natural gas killed 16 and injured 28 people, which is something that Wyre residents will never forget.
Protect Wyre Group is determined to fight this gas storage proposal all the way and as a major part of this we need the support of all those elected to represent us. Please do not let us down.
Yours sincerely
Protect Wyre Group
Important Notice
The outcome of the above meeting at The Marine Hall on the 5th April 2004 is thus..This afternoon WBC Planning Committee unanimously recommended to Lancs CC to refuse the Canatxx application.