Environment Agency approves £12.1m St Annes seawall
The defence will play a crucial role in protecting hundreds of homes and dozens of businesses in the Lancashire community from coastal erosion and floods.
The £12.1m from the Environment Agency will enable Fylde Council to replace the existing seawall, which was built in 1935 and is in poor condition. It stretches 660 metres around Pleasure Island.
A new seawall will protect Pleasure Island for the next 100 years, the council said. It would also not involving moving many of the island’s treasures – the miniature golf, miniature railway and beach huts are all slated to stay in their current locations.
“I am delighted that the council has received approval with the necessary financial support for this important infrastructure scheme,” said Cllr Roger Small, chair of the operation management committee for Fylde Council.
“The new sea wall 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,” Small said.
Work on-site could begin as early as January 2023 and be complete by August 2024, according to the council.
It is hoped that work on the seawall can be done at the same time as the St Annes masterplan, which is being drawn up by architecture practice BDP. The masterplan is meant to connect the promenade and high street, as well as to create public spaces.
