The Environment Agency has approved the £12.1million funding towards the regeneration of St.Anne’s Sea Wall. Work will now be able to commence to replace the existing 660m long sea wall, dating back to 1935, around The Island site, so reducing the risk of coastal erosion, flooding and damage. The work will go ahead without any of the current seafront attractions being lost and could begin as soon as January 2023 and be completed by August 2024. Meetings with stakeholders and public exhibitions of the proposals will be held before any work begins.

Councillor Roger Small, Chairman of Fylde Council’s Operational Management Committee, said: ‘I am delighted the council has received approval with the necessary financial support for this important scheme. The project will first and foremost provide security from rising sea levels for the next 100 years, but as we have seen with our other sea wall enhancements, it will bring in extra revenues from increased visitors and users. I would also like to stress that this has been achieved by modelling the scheme so as to retain the much-loved attractions. This is the opening investment in the St.Anne’s regeneration projects that will ensure the town has a good future.”

Andrew Shore, Area Coastal Engineer for the Environment Agency, added: ‘We look forward to working with Fylde Council to help deliver this ambitious project over the next few years.’