Thornton    Action    Group

The objectives of TAG are:
(a)    To find out what developments are taking place in Thornton, and to keep residents informed.
(b)    To seek out the views of residents and to listen to their concerns.
(c)    To act as a channel of communication between the residents and their representatives, officials and other appropiate bodies.

Poolfoot Farm:
We presented evidence to the Public Enquiry held last September, objecting to the development of this greenfield site for 510 houses. The inspector found in our favour and refused the application. The Lancashire Structure Plan indicates that no new housing will be built on greenfield sites in Wyre until at least 2016.

The Replacement Lancashire Structure Plan:
Wyre has been given a target of 3000 new houses by 2016. With 1260 houses on stream that means that land for 1740 houses has to be found. 75% of these = 1300 houses will be in the 'urban areas' ie Thornton - Cleveleys & Fleetwood.
Lancashire do not see a new road link between the Thornton - Cleveleys - Fleetwood peninsula and the motorway as a priority. Instead a Route Management Strategy will report next year on how to improve traffic flow on the A585.

Provision of Recreational Space:
Wyre Borough falls behind the recomended guidelines for the provision of recreational space. Moreover no money was spent on improving the existing play space last year and none has been allocated for this year. Whitbread have paid WBC £20,000 following the removal of the childrens play area adjoining the Tavern at the Marsh Mill. There is now no equipment for younger children at King Georges Playing Fields.

The move of the Rugby Club to King Georges Playing Fields:
There is now just one soccer pitch available on this site. Thornton Junior Football Club has used two pitches here for their youngsters of all ages for the last 40 years. Now they are split between KGPF and land behind the Bourne Poacher.
The Rugby Club intend to spend £25,000 at KGPF on floodlights, storage accommodation and a stand. The Sports Centre will be altered at a cost of £25,000 to accommodate the rugby. Wyre Borough will contribute £12,500.
It had been the intention of the owners, National Playing Fields Association to sell the old Rugby Ground for housing and to find new recreational space in Thornton, but the directions about using brownfield sites raises questions over this.

The Lecture Hall:
Because of delays, ICI will not be making a gift of £200,000 to the people of Thornton, by contributing to the refurbishment of the Lecture Hall. Instead WBC has to find the £400,000 needed. Given the increase in hiring charges, there is a danger that local organisations will be squeezed out of our Lecture Hall. Will we also be charged for using the carpark?

Thornton Shopping Centre:
This development has recently been sold to Morston Assets of Holt in Norfolk. We are still waiting for the return of the recycling facilities to this site and the landscaping of the carpark area which was promised by the previous owners - Modus.

Thornton Conservation:
We are concerned about retaining the character of Thornton. The recently appointed Conservation Officer for WBC, Ian Heywood is keen for us to produce a dossier to detail the important elements - older houses, trees and hedges - of our environment. We need volunteers to help do this.

Storage of Gas under the Wyre Estuary:
Canatxx has plans to store 40 billion cubic feet of gas at very high pressures (700-800psi) in cavaties exavated under the Wyre (not in the old salt mines over Wyre). If their scheme goes ahead it would devastate the Barnabys Sands SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest). The dissolved salt would be pumped through a pipe into the sea off Rossall. Our most worrying concern is the possibility of an accident. This happened in Kansas in 2001 where there is now a law forbidding the construction of gas storage caverns "within three mile of a municipal population centre". We have 70,000 people within three miles of the site. TAG has joined forces with other residents groups in Fleetwood, Poulton and Over Wyre to form the Protect Wyre Group.
TAG has come a long way since it was formed in December 2001. We believe we have become effective as a voice for Thornton. We intend to continue in our efforts to make Thornton a better place. Come and join us. Without your support we can do nothing. We thank you for your interest and your support.


Howard Phillips Chairman of Thornton Action Group - November 2003