Investing in Wyre

Charles Yost from Wyre Borough Council joined the forum to describe future investments planned for Wyre.
Up to four years ago there was little inward investment for the borough but after much hard work we can now hope to attract up to £1.3 billion of investment in the coming years. The criteria for making this happen hinge on creating a location for investment and a destination for visitors.

At the heart of these developments is the £600 million power station being built by Welsh Power. This will be known as Wyre Power and will create 650 jobs during the build time and 60 full time jobs once operational.
Redevelopment of the former Hillhouse site in partnership with NPL estates aims to create a sustainable community based on local employment. This will include a district centre with housing, health and leisure facilities. At least £14 million will be spent by NPL in ensuring the site is habitable by removing the asbestos and other toxic residues left by former industries.
Hillhouse is one of the largest “ brown field “ sites in the North west
.
An early example of inward investment is the £30 million Waste Treatment Centre now taking shape. This will process waste previously destined for landfill and produce reusable materials, while providing employment for 130 people.
The most visible and attractive example is the £26 million coastal defence scheme centred on Cleveleys promenade which teamed with visitors over the Easter weekend. Not only have 160 jobs been created but also a company based at Hill House is providing the precast concrete blocks for both Cleveleys and Blackpool coastal defences.
Fleetwood is deserving of special attention, despite the fishing industry generating £135 million per annum and employing 600 people.
Thirty five percent of residents of working age claim benefits compared with a Wyre average of 30% (22.500 out of 75,000).
The so called Fleetwood Master Plan aims to build an economy based on sustainable jobs such as the £20 million Fish and Food park which should employ 150 staff and generate £30 million in revenue.
While welcoming all of the above, forum members had real concerns about how the current infrastructure would support these projects and the ability of the planning process to respond to residents’ concerns over new developments.
The former ranged from rural facilities being lost (swimming pools, libraries) to the ability of roads to cope with growing volumes of industrial and residential traffic.
Charles explained that the approval process for the A585 replacement was long and arduous but had at last become Lancashire’s number one transport project. 

Concerns over the planning process stemmed from the council’s apparent inability to enforce deliverables agreed in the planning process with developers.
Charles was finally asked to comment on the impact of the current recession on both private and public investment.
In his view, based on what local business leaders were telling him and the priorities being given to Wyre projects in the public sector, the inward investment targets seemed “resilient” to the current recession.