Wildlife centre 'could close' over planning row

Fylde Council said what was built was "significantly different to the approved plans"

A remembrance wood and farm in Lancashire could be forced to close following an "unfair" planning row.

Blackburns Farm Nurseries and Wildlife Centre in Wrea Green was set up by the landowner as a charity during the Covid pandemic to try and improve the local eco-system and help bring people closer to nature.

But changes planning officers want to make to their initial planning consent over the size of a cafe and education centre, and the material used in its cladding make the project "unviable" farm manager Kirsty Cropper said.

Fylde Council said what was built was "significantly different to the approved plans".

The project was initially given planning permission with various conditions including the size of the cafe and the material used in the cladding of the building.

The landowner then appealed against some of the conditions, asking to be allowed to have a larger cafe within the centre and keep the brick appearance of the building rather than clad it in wood, which would increase their insurance premiums.

'Seems cruel'

Ms Cropper said: "The things they've asked us to do we feel are unfair and they also make the project unviable, which seems almost cruel to us.

"The two things we've requested out of the 28 they asked for are the only two things we are asking for them to remove."

The farmers had hoped to use income from the cafe to help fund the charity and pay for the upkeep of the remembrance wood and wanted 40% of the building to be used for the eatery.

The remembrance wood has over 1,200 trees planted in the field.

Ms Cropper said the council was "setting us up to fail" and she would appeal.

Blackburns Farm Nurseries and Wildlife Centre in Wrea Green was set up by the landowner as a charity during the Covid pandemic

A Fylde Council spokesman said permission was initially granted "in a location were such development would not normally be allowed" but permission was granted subject to conditions. However, the applicant then "chose to erect a building that was significantly different to the approved plans", he said.

"Although the council has been able to work with the applicant to successfully resolve some of the discrepancies, others remain which the council feel cannot be compromised."