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Lytham St.Annes Express,
17th April 1975.
NEW PIER PLAN ULTIMATUM
ST ANNES PIER will be left to deteriorate slowly
if a second plan to renovate it following the fire there is not
agreed to.This was the ultimatum given to the Fylde Planning and
Development Committee meeting in Wesham yesterday by St Annes Pier
Company. The committee were considering the second nonofficial plan
which was submitted by the company for their discussion following a
meeting between representatives of the council with the company
last week.
SECOND PLAN
The second plan suggests retaining 90 per cent
of the pier, demolishing the superstructure and erecting other
features at the end such as kiosks and aviaries.
The company also submitted an alternative plan to this which
suggested simply leaving the end of the pier as it now stands
complete with the gutted Floral Hall and the pavilion theatre,
which would be barricaded off.
"In other words they would leave it to shortly become derelict," Mr
N. Brigg, Planning Officer, told the committee.
The Chairman. Coun H. Dobson, said: "We can no longer use the
argument that the pier is a listed building because the part which
made It a listed building is now destroyed.
A CHOICE
"We have been presented With a choice — retain
more of the pier than was originally suggested and try to round it
off nicely at the end or to leave the pier as it stands to slowly
rot."
Fylde's Chief Planning Officer, Mr R. Taylor, pointed out that the
pier manager, Mr Cecil Fortune, had emphasised at the meeting that
the company would not appeal if the second plan, when formally
submitted, was refused. He hoped the committee would look
favourably on the second plan although it left much to be
desired.
'NO CHARACTER'
This is the ultimatum which was delivered to the
Coun Dobson said: "Ideally we want an integrated, comprehensive
scheme for the pier—not bits of kiosks and aviaries all over the
place."
Coun G. Caldwell criticised the submitted plan as having "no'
character."
"But, if we are too dogmatic about what we want the company may
simply refuse to do anything," Coun Dobson pointed out.
It was finally agreed to ask last night's Policy and Resources
Committee meeting to look favourably on the company's new proposals
with a view to allowing officials to explore any other
possibilities.
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Ruining St Annes - 'under our noses'
IT IS WITH profound shock and dismay that we now observe the
gradual demolition of the seaward end of the pier, beginning with the metal remains
of the old pavilion and the roping off of the Floral Hall, to make ready for
demolition.
This is in spite of the fact that the "Save The Pier Action
Group," followed by the council members, who should represent. the wishes of the
people of this town, showed quite clearly that we all feel the pier should be left
as it now is. As has been stated before in numerous letters to the Press, and at
meetings both public and private, it could be made an asset to the town and made to
pay its way.
This CAN be done, and the stark fact now emerges from recent
events that the council are not prepared to fight for these ends.
In either event, the council need not think for one moment, the
residents will take all this lying down. We intend to carry on the fight one way or
another.. Surely this is National Heritage Year? Do people realise that the lovely
Floral Hall is the only one of its kind left in the country?
It is now obvious for all to see that the St Armes Land and
Building Company do not care for any of these considerations, never will do, or
care what sort of a town they are creating, let alone "minor" considerations like
considering entertainment for visitors, etc.
Lovely St Annes is being ruined under our very noses.
Please council members, let's at least "have a go" at
saving the whole pier, as once a small part is chopped off, it will all go bit by
bit. Make no mistake about that.
JEAN HACKING Scarborough-road, St Annes.
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Why second place for ratepayers?
IT was with horror that I read
("Express, April 17) of the ultimatum delivered by the Pier Company to
our elected body of representatives — the council.
From the report I get the impression of utter contempt in the
company's attitude of "accept our plans or else." Why is it that a company which
has taken so much out of St Annes, and ruled the roost for so long should adopt
such a heavy-handed and negative attitude?
The stance adopted by Fylde council is also surprising by virtue
of its readiness to listen and succumb to nearly every application we hear about
involving development companies. The residents, on the other hand, appear to be
deprived of even getting a hearing on these and other contentious issues.
Even at the present moment plans are being prepared in St Annes
which will create extra traffic hazards on the promenade, parking problems, noise,
nuisance and environmental problems. Yet the councillors have not lobbied the views
of residents on this matter.
Why are they not looking after or protecting the interests of
constituents, and why do the residents and ratepayers always have to take second
place to the development companies' interests?
Whilst the councillors may not appreciate it, they were elected
to safeguard the interests of, and administer the town for the benefit of the
people of Lytham St Annes.
A RATEPAYER, St Annes.
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Angry shout but no pier discussion
A LOBBY of "save the pier" supporters was disappointed
last Wednesday night when Fylde Policy and Resources Committee did not
consider the latest plan for Its restoration, which was presented to the Planning
and Development Committee at Wesham earler the same day.
There was an angry shout of "while you are talking the pier
disappears" when the chairman, Coun John Gouldbourn, ruled that there was not at
present any suggestion of financial involvement for the council.
Therefore, he said, the matter did not fall within the scope of the committee. "It
has no right to be on the agenda," he said.
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SECOND PIER PLAN `AN IMPROVEMENT'
A SUBSTITUTE planning application for St Annes Pier looks like
getting the green light when It is submitted! formally to Fylde Borough
Council.
The council approved. principle on Monday night the second,
unofficial plan by St Annes Pier Company which suggests retaining about 90 per
cent of the pier rounding it off at the end and incorporating special features,
there.
Coun J. Crossland's call for areport of 'the financial
implications if the council had some form of agency 'agreement with the pier
company was dismissed.
COST
"But it would cost a great deal of money for 'this kind of
thing:" he said. "Before we can make any decision we ought to have a report of the
financial situation.'"
Coun W.Thompson believed the pier company would simply "write off"
the end of the, pier and leave it to deteriorate if the second plan was not
accepted.
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Express praised
THERE is as big a question mark over the future of Brighton's
West Pier, under threat of closure, as there is over St Annes Pier. But campaigners
for its preservation are envious of the coverage that St Annes Pier's future has
had in the "Express."
Mrs Margaret King, of Riley avenue, St Annes, who has
spearheaded the St Annes campaign, took her opposite number from Brighton, Mr John
Lloyd, a Brighton art dealer, and Mr John 'Burdett, a consultant engineer, for a
walk along St Annes Pier recently.
They gave her copies of expensively produced brochures they had
published in their campaign.
"If we had had anything like the support you have had from your
local paper, they would not have been necessary," they told her.
They came mainly to see how Blackpool's three thriving piers were run.
The proposals they had in mind for Brighton were similar to
those that she had put forward for the Floral Hall, she 'told me.
"It is an improvement, I think, on the first plan," he said. "I would like the
council to support it."
Fylde Chief Planning Officer Mr Roy Taylor said
that a more widely-integrated scheme for the pier's end would be discussed when
the second formal planning application was received,'
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