In the 2005 poll in the
Lytham St Annes Express over 95% of
respondents said
“NO” to Lytham Quays!
98.4% of respondents from Lytham voted “NO”!
Many homes in Lytham have recently received flood alert notices from the Environment Agency. The flood alert notice states "Official Warning: Your home is at risk of flooding". The notice advises residents that they need to register their home with the Agency ('Flood Warnings Direct') in order to receive advance warning about flooding. The agency recommends that either a landline or mobile phone should be the first choice of contact as they need to be able to contact home owners in flood areas 24 hours a day.
This policy of identifying specific houses in Lytham that are in danger of flooding seems to be the next stage in a programme which began by identifying three flood development danger zones. This was highlighted in an article in June 2008 in the Lytham St. Annes Express. A flood risk survey carried out by Fylde Council identified Lytham, Lytham Moss and Kirkham as areas where "only appropriate development should be permitted". At that time, Councillor John Bennett stated that homeowners needed to be protected against flooding.
The identification of homes in these high risk areas also has implications for obtaining flood insurance. An article in the Sunday times in July 2007 warned about the problems of obtaining flood insurance in high risk areas. The National Flood Forum stated that excesses (the part of the claim homeowners must pay) in high risk areas can be as high as £30,000. Also, new customers buying a home in a high risk area for the first time may be turned down by insurers.
The identification of homes at risk of flooding in Lytham highlights the need to ensure that any new development of land within and around Lytham does not increase the already identified pressures in relation to flooding. The importance of controlled and appropriate land development and the extensive scrutiny of any new building projects and proposals now appears to be of even greater significance to the conservation and future environment of this beautiful area. The threat of flooding has now been identified and is a very real concern for some of the residents of Lytham. As Councilor Bennett states "We will have to be extra, extra careful".