Walk the Ribbleside Country Park on Sunday 18th May!

view towards Preston from the South Ribble Country Park - 5 minutes walk from Preston City centre!

To celebrate the newly-designated South Ribble Country Park, local residents are organising a walk for this coming Sunday, 18th May, so join us for a ramble by the Ribble!

Setting off from the Tram Bridge over the River Ribble (joining Avenham & Miller Parks with the new South Ribble Country Park!!) at 2pm, we will be exploring a number of the area's important wildlife habitats including the Ribble and its riverbanks, meadows and marshlands, Preston Junction Local Nature Reserve, and ancient woodland...


...where the bluebells are still in flower and the woods are filled with birdsong.

Come and join us and celebrate the long-term protection from development this fantastic resource now has.

Full details are as follows, and see map below:

Meeting point: Tram Bridge over the River Ribble (between Avenham & Miller Parks and South Ribble Country Park).

Leaving at: 2pm.

Route: Walking downriver alongside the River Ribble to Preston Junction Nature Reserve then walking down the LNR to meet Footpath 77 at Carr Wood, walking past the meadows (& Carr Wood sewage works!) and then into Carr Wood ancient woodland, rejoining FP 77 to the River Darwen, following the Darwen to its confluence with the River Ribble, following the Ribble downriver a short while then heading south-west across Mains House Farm to the Old Tram Road, and finally walking back northwards along the Old Tram Road and finishing back at the Tram Bridge.

Expected time: approximately 3 hours altogether, although there will be opportunity for some people to finish after approximately an hour and a half if the weather is inclement/children are getting tired.

Terrain: footpaths good to bumpy in places, muddy on occasion, a couple of stiles, WHEELS NOT ADVISABLE (bikes, wheelchairs, or pushchairs).
Although there is nothing to stop you meeting us on the Tram Bridge at 2pm to join in the celebrations before setting off on your own wheely walk along the River Ribble or down the Old Tram Road, both of which are wheely friendly! Why miss out on a fabulous May Day by the Ribble?!

2pm on Tram Bridge here >
you can click on the map to enlarge it

You can contact us at savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk

If You Go Down To Mellings Wood Today...

Mellings Wood in Preston

...you're sure of a big surprise...



We know that United Utilities are constructing a new sewerage pipeline to replace the stretch running above ground alongside the River Ribble at Mellings Wood in Preston – a pipe that has been leaking raw sewage into the river for some time now and is at risk of complete failure, potentially resulting in a nasty pollution incident in the Ribble.
Replacing this pipe is therefore welcome news.


sewage leaking into the River Ribble from the damaged pipe at Mellings Wood

Unfortunately, the cheapest option (in economic terms) has been to build the new pipeline through Mellings Wood, part of the Ribble corridor's ancient woodland and identified as a county Biological Heritage Site. This is the option that Lancashire County Council has approved and work is now underway.



The River Ribble's ancient woodlands in summer
Mellings Wood is an ancient woodland - and damage to this important habitat must be restored...


the damage to Mellings Wood has increased in recent weeks...

County planning policy requires no net loss of biodiversity, so it will be interesting to see how the loss of complex woodland floral and faunal communities dependent on ancient soil structures that have developed over at least four hundred years and most likely much longer, will be replaced or their permanent loss compensated.

It will also be interesting to see how they reconstruct the riverbank here to ensure that riverside habitats are maintained.
We know that there are otters along the Ribble, as well as Sand Martin colonies, amongst numerous other riverbank species, and the Environment Agency, the Ribble Catchment Conservation Trust, and other organisations are keen to see the Ribble’s riverbanks restored and enhanced throughout the Ribble corridor, not least as a part of the Ribble Catchment Management Plan.

This will be a good opportunity then, to see how these enhancements are achieved.



Mellings Wood and the River Ribble's natural riverbanks in the winter before United Utilities' work on the sewage pipe got significantly underway.


The Ribble riverbanks at Mellings Wood.

We will keep an eye on developments, and are particularly interested to see how the damage to the ancient woodlands and the riverbanks will be restored.

Whilst the works take place, part of the Ribble Way in Preston - between the A59, near the ‘Tickled Trout’, and the A6, at the ‘Shaw’s Arms’ will be closed for up to a year. An alternative route for walkers, following footpaths on the south of the River Ribble, has been signposted and waymarked by the County Council’s Countryside Service.

You can contact us at savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk

Ribbleside Green Belt SAVED! Alternative Ribble Vision Gets Green Light!

South Ribble Borough Council have announced that the Ribbleside Green Belt from Penwortham to Walton le Dale and back as far as Lostock Hall is to be designated a Country Park!
Penwortham riverside, near the old Tram Bridge across the River Ribble - 5 minutes walk from Preston city centre!

This announcement follows hard on the heels of South Ribble Borough Council's insistence earlier this week that the Ribble's riverbanks and Green Belt areas will be protected from development.

South Ribble Borough Council have listened to the alternative ideas put forward by local people for the River Ribble and riverside Green spaces which involve protecting these unique and precious areas from disappearing for ever beneath the huge housing development, concrete walkways, roads, and businesses proposed as part of the Riverworks "Central Park" building development.

Under the Preston City Council and Preston Vision Board "Riverworks" 'Central Park' scheme, a little over 1 hectare out of the 45 hectares of green space on the Penwortham side would have been reserved for open space and leisure, the rest would have been lost forever: including a huge 33 hectares which would have been lost beneath a massive housing scheme, with the remaining hectares divided up amongst commercial developments, concrete moorings, and such like.

With South Ribble Borough Council's latest announcement, the entire green area will be preserved for the new South Ribble Country Park!

Penwortham Green Belt across the Ribble from Avenham & Miller Parks in Preston

This is fantastic news for local people, ensuring our beautiful green spaces of meadows, woodlands, and riverbanks are protected from development both now and in the future, safeguards the future of our local sports pitches, wildlife and the environment - in particular helping to ensure the environmental sustainability of the River Ribble's wildlife ecosystem - and of course ensures that our vitally important floodplain is left undeveloped so it can carry on protecting local communities from more serious flooding.

Since local people all along the Ribble corridor first heard about those two significant aspects of the Riverworks proposals which would have seen the riverside and Green spaces disappear forever beneath these huge building schemes, and the Ribble's unique intertidal ecosystem destroyed by a tidal barrage across the River Ribble, they have campaigned tirelessly for these ill-conceived schemes to be halted.

As part of this opposition, local residents have put forward alternative ideas which centre on protecting the Ribble's Internationally important intertidal habitat and the riverside green spaces, for the sake of the environment, and for the benefit of local people and visitors alike.


With consistent arguments against the barrage from all quarters finally leading to the current administration of Preston City Council withdrawing the barrage scheme in the final weeks of 2007, the first phase of our campaign was achieved, to much local - and national - rejoicing.

Now with South Ribble Borough Council's announcements this week, the second phase of our campaign has also been achieved, as we have now secured the long-term future of the green spaces on the South Bank of the Ribble at last...



...let's hope this Green Vision will now extend onto the Preston bank!


Of course, a Ribbleside Country Park just 5 minutes walk from Preston city centre is not only fantastic for local communities both in Preston and South Ribble, but also for visitors, as this unique area can now become a part of Britain's newest Regional Park, Ribble Coast & Wetlands.
The Ribble Coast & Wetlands Regional Park extends all along the intertidal Ribble from where the Ribble Estuary meets the Irish Sea at Blackpool and Lytham on the North shore and Southport and Formby on the South shore, and upriver for several miles into the centre of Preston and Penwortham and our newly-designated South Ribble Country Park and finishing at the new Brockholes Wetland, just East of Preston.

As the Lancashire Evening Post editorial points out:

"After all the controversy about a barrage on the river, housing development on the flood plain and a link road to relieve congestion, comes a council proposal for central Lancashire which should find favour with the vast majority [with] South Ribble want[ing] to create a large park which would... open up swathes of greenbelt land between Penwortham, Lostock Hall and Walton le Dale to the public".




POSTSCRIPT: We have received dozens of emails from local residents and environmental organisations, delighted with this latest announcement, and apparently settling the concerns that so many people have had about the Ribble barrage and riverside development proposals, so here's a flavour of the many comments we have received - we cannot print them all!...

“This is tremendous news. I am so pleased… Congratulations!
Of course, we will still have to keep our eyes and ears open, but maybe, just maybe, we will get a similar response from this side of the river.” MS, Preston

“…fantastic! thank you” J&M&M&B, Penwortham.

“Many thanks for this good news. It makes a welcome change. I hope that Preston now joins South Ribble in a joint country park on both sides of the Ribble; I live in hope!” ATB, Preston

“Thank you so much.. what good news!” CP, Penwortham.

“Congratulations all round.” J

“Well done! Great news” L&M

“Congratulations on helping to bring about another victory with the announcement from South Ribble.” SP

“ WOOOO HOO!” SE


And from many of our environmental contacts…

“Fantastic news …Great reward for all your hard work.”

“This is very good news indeed. Congratulations to you and all those involved in this tireless campaign”.

“Very good news indeed.”

“Fantastic, well done”

“Excellent news and progress - you have done exceptionally well with your campaign and this is all well deserved!”


Save The Ribble would like to thank all local residents who have supported the campaign to Save Our Ribble and Green Spaces, and all the help and support we have received from professional bodies too: we are just ordinary people, local residents ourselves, who knew we could not just sit back and allow inappropriate developments which would destroy not just our local environment, but the wider environment upon which our wildlife ecosystems depend.

Of course, this latest success doesn't mean that we local residents will no longer be taking an interest - far from it: we are keen to be involved in the long term future of the intertidal River Ribble and the new South Ribble Country Park, and will of course continue to be vigilant regarding any ideas and proposals put forward regarding the Ribble corridor in recent weeks, and in the future, including Ribble corridor development proposals proposed by Preston Vision Board and other recent proposals for floating homes and watersports...

Long Live the Ribble - and Ribbleside Green Belt - Wild!

You can read more about the Ribble Coast & Wetlands Regional Park here;
and more about South Ribble Borough Council's commitment to the Ribble here;
Brockholes Wetland here and here;
about Sustainable Development and Wetlands here;
and about the damage barrages cause to wetland ecosystems here.

You can contact us at savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk

South Ribble Riverbanks & Green Belt Receive Official Protection from Development

South Ribble Borough Council have announced that the riverbanks along the River Ribble and the Green Belt on the South Ribble side will be protected from development in the forthcoming Regional Spatial Strategy.


click on the article to read it in full

This announcement by Cllr Cliff Hughes, South Ribble's Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Planning, follows the long campaign by local residents to protect the the River environment and Green Belt from some of the key proposals of the Riverworks project.

It is a recognition of the importance of the unique Ribble environment, and the value that local people place on their green spaces.

Cllr Cliff Hughes said:

"Our Green Belt covers around two thirds of our borough and our vision is to protect it from development.
We are extremely lucky in South Ribble to be surrounded by such outstanding natural beauty and we're delighted to see that it looks as though the Government is as keen as we are to protect it...
...we have no intention of building on our Green Belt."

This alternative vision for the Ribble's environment further restricts the ambitions of the Preston Vision Board to develop the river corridor.

South Ribble Borough Council has demonstrated its clear commitment to the Ribbleside and Green Belt environments, AND commitment to the views of local people who have campaigned to protect them - a sustained opposition to the Ribble barrage and riverside building development ideas which has led to Preston City Council abandoning the barrage idea.

This latest statement appears to be the final nail in the coffin for the Riverworks proposals to develop a huge new community on the South bank of the river in Penwortham - the so-called "Central Park" development of thousands of homes and businesses on the Ribble's Green Belt and floodplain (Riverworks brochure "Central Park").

Cliff Hughes states:

"...we want to reassure all of our residents that any suggestions they may have heard or read that land adjacent to the River Ribble has been earmarked for development is quite simply not true".

This ambition to protect the riverside environment also provides the opportunity for an alternative vision instead - for a freely flowing River Ribble and a wildlife & wetland park linked to the Ribble Coast & Wetlands Regional Park - which local residents have been campaigning for since the Riverworks barrage and green belt building development proposals were first announced in 2005.

You can read more about Preston Vision Board and Preston City Council's key development proposals for the River Ribble and its environs in the Riverworks strategy here and their more recent proposals here.


You can read more about the original Riverworks development proposals here

You can contact us at savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk

New Floating Homes Development to include Watersports - But Will the Ribble be Safe?

The Lancashire Evening Post today report that the "floating homes" development recently proposed for the Docks and River 'does NOT include any kind of barrage across the river' BUT WILL include 'swathes of water given over to leisure and sports'.


click on the image to read it in full

According to the LEP:

'A major watersports centre could form part of the £40m "floating community" off Preston Dock' but that the developers state 'they would not look to flood the Ribble with homes'

- both of which are a tad ambiguous as neither appear to suggest that they intend to leave the River Ribble out of the scheme altogether.

Which raises a few questions:

-What does "off" the Dock mean? ON the Dock - or near the Dock?

-Are these "swathes of water" also looking at the River or just the Docks?

-DO these proposals include the River or not?

Whilst we welcome the idea that the proposals for the Docks include leisure facilities instead of just new houses, it is important to know just what the impact will be on the River Ribble and its environs.

We of course welcome boat-users on the River - but we would also like to see speed restrictions imposed on the River Ribble above Penwortham New Bridge as speedboats and jetskis this far upriver are intrusive and damaging to the banksides, and disruptive to birdlife and the ambience of the river environment.

We will watch developments closely...

In the meantime, you can catch up with more of the latest Ribble news about how Local Councillors adopt local residents' proposals for the River whilst warning that developments may still threaten the Ribble.

You can contact us at savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk

Ribble Development Threat Warning while Local Councillors Adopt Our Ribbleside Vision

Preston Councillor Jack Davenport is warning that Preston Vision Board and Preston Council's proposals for the River Ribble still seem intent upon building all over it.

As we have already reported, the Vision Board have declared their intention to develop along the River corridor, with or without a barrage;

Preston Council have recently announced their proposals for floating homes on the Docks AND on the River;

and proposals are due to be submitted for planning permission shortly for the construction of over 400 new houses plus businesses on the Penwortham bank at Vernon Carus.


We now have an interesting situation where local Councillors both sides of the River Ribble are supporting their residents' views about the River and its environs but only one Council seems to be listening...


Councillor Davenport is concerned about the 'regeneration without purpose' mentality which still seems to haunt Preston's development ideas, and he urges that:

'developing an area does not necessarily mean that we need build on it. Developing the River Ribble could and should mean enhancing the natural surroundings and maintaining (perhaps aiding) the natural ecology.'

In this he echoes what local people have been saying for a number of years now, and Councillor Davenport is still very concerned that not only Preston Vision board but even Preston Council are avoiding democratic accountability. You can read more about his concerns here.

Councillor Davenport argues that Preston Council should be listening to local people NOW not after decisions are made and unsound visions pursued:

'If there is to be a Vision for the River Ribble, then it is one that needs to come from the people of this city. This isn’t an opinion that we want after the fact, it has to be sought right now.'

Here, here.

Whilst local people have indeed put their views forward, to both Preston Council and South Ribble Council, so far only the South Ribble administration seems to be listening...

Thanks to the efforts of local people, South Ribble Council saw the sense of our arguments and pulled back from the Riverworks Barrage and massive "Central Park" housing development scheme.

South Ribble Borough Council are also proving to be very interested indeed in the detailed and specific proposals that local people have made concerning their own Vision for the Ribble and its environs - a Vision for an enhanced natural environment and enhanced facilities for local people and visitors.
We are hoping for a positive announcement concerning our scheme over the coming months and will of course report any developments here...

Here's what local Councillors Jim Hothersall and Jenny Hothersall in Middleforth, Lower Penwortham, are saying to local people in direct response to our views:

"We have a clear vision for the South Bank of the river which is available for public enjoyment and relaxation. It does not include housing or office development - especially on green belt land. Preston City have accepted our vision."

Jim Hothersall also makes it clear that "we would not support the barrage or any development on our green belt areas which would have a negative impact or encroach on the leisure amenities on the south side of the river".

Presumably, then, South Ribble Council are now following the lead of local residents and aiming to protect and enhance the River Ribble and its natural environs whilst the current Preston Council administration, despite the concerns of local residents and a number of Preston Councillors, is still keen to build on the riverbanks and even on the River Ribble itself...

You can contact us at savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk

New Threat to Ribble

Ribblesiders will be alarmed to read in tonight's Lancashire Evening Post of new ideas to build floating houses and even hotels - not only on the Docks but possibly on the River Ribble.

Almelo, NGM and Preston City Council have been talking about the plans, according to the LEP:

"Almelo officials are looking to build a huge floating development in their town.

The floating buildings would have their base hollowed out like a ship.

It means they would combat the risk of flooding by rising and falling with the tide of the river.

According to the Lancashire Evening Post, the project would be developed on Preston Docks AND along the banks of the Ribble and would look similar to designs pioneered in Holland and Sweden.

click on the article to read it in full

How hollow was Hudson's promise to Preston people not to mess around with our river?

No-one objects to this idea in the man-made and sheltered docks, however our beautiful, natural, powerful and sometimes dangerous river Ribble is no place for these expensive follies.

Lets get together to take action to 'Save The Ribble' from the greed and stupidity of the developers and our council.

You can contact us at savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk

International Rivers Day!

Today, Friday March 14th, is International Day of Action for Rivers, the 11th year in which the importance and irreplaceable beauty and necessity of Rivers are celebrated on this day, and the dams and barrages which are one of the most serious threats they face world-wide are opposed.

All over the world today, people are bringing attention to the necessity of rivers and demanding that their flow is not changed by human hands. Dams and reservoirs have a huge negative impact on nature, animal life, and human societies and the enormous damage these constructions cause can never be undone.



Here by the River Ribble we celebrate the day by not only celebrating our success - so far! - in stopping the damming of the Internationally important River Ribble by a barrage, but by continuing to affirm our total opposition to any kind of barrage or weir or damn obstruction on our beautiful and irreplaceable intertidal river!
... and some Ribblesiders will undoubtedly take the time to walk alongside the Ribble some time today and enjoy listening to its free-flowing waters before the day is over…

We salute our friends and colleagues all over the world who are also fighting to defend their rivers from dams, barrages, and reservoirs which are still threatening the world's rivers, and the future sustainability of our environment, our precious water resources, and countless human communities.


In Iceland where International Day of Action for Rivers will now be celebrated for the first time:

Friends of the Þjórsá River are going to meet by Urriðafoss waterfall and read poetry from 20:00 - 21:00þ The waterfall is now in its "winter costume" and people are asked to come and take a look at it and at the same time show solidarity and support with it, the Þjórsá river and the people fighting against Landsvirkjun´s plans (the national energy company) to dam the lower part of the river.

In Café Hljómalind (Laugarvegur 23, Reykjavík), Saving Iceland has organized a movie/discussion evening. The idea is to show short movies connected to the day, about the global impact of heavy industry and big dams. Between movies there will be discussions which will hopefully lead to further actions.

You can catch up on what’s happening with the Saving Iceland Campaign here.


In Mesoamerica, dam-affected people will hold several conferences to coincide with the International Day of Action for Rivers. Many of these meetings will concentrate on the concept of water as a human right, as well as on the imperative need to resist further privatization of this resource.


In the United States, community members will join together to clean the Sacramento River, and Friends of the River will host a "California Rivers Festival," which will feature exhibitions and films.


International Rivers will host an event in Berkeley focused on the spectacular, pristine rivers in Patagonia that are threatened by impending plans for major hydro-electric projects. Guests will have the opportunity to see both a slideshow of stunning images and a video of one of the first-ever expeditions down the Pascua River.


In Germany there is a day of Action Against the controversial Ilisu Dam in Turkey. A joint declaration will be presented to the Turkish government asking it to cancel its plans to build the Ilisu dam and instead, to develop a "truly participatory sustainable development plan for the region".


In Spain - Into the Dams to Voice Protest!
In the province of León, participants will hold up and display dam protest posters in the dams and by some of the bridges that are visible from the road.


In Portugal there is a Colloquium and Outdoor Activities in Honour of Rivers
The "Coordenadora de Afectados pelas Grandes Barragens e Transvases - Secção Portuguesa" (COAGRET-Portugal) will celebrate the International Day of Action for Rivers at the Tua River (Trás-os-Montes, NE Portugal), which is threatened with the prospect of a 100 meters-long hydropower dam. Starting in the morning, students in a Renewable Energy course at Mirandela High School will co-host a colloquium with COAGRET, titled, "Microgeneration of Energy = Macrogeneration of Jobs". Next, there will be a kayak demonstration at the Tua River next to Mirandela's city center, and a kayak trip from S. Lourenço to Foz Tua. The day will end with a train trip, up to the Tua valley and then back to Mirandela.During the weekend following the Day of Action, river defenders will take part in hikes, birdwatching trips and organized meetings with dam-affected peoples.


In Italy - Italian Solidarity Against Dam Construction in Turkey
In attempt to stop the actions of the Unicredit Bank, there will be a demonstration in protest of dam construction at the Hasankeyf and Tigri's Valley in Turkish Kurdistan on March the 14th. There will also be protests at the Unicredit Banks in Milan and Rome.

You can find out more about the International Day of Action for Rivers and events taking place all over the world today here at International Rivers


Long Live the World's Rivers Wild!

you can contact us at savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk

Ribble Wetlands Talk Tonight at Lytham

Lytham St Annes Civic Society is hosting a talk about the Ribble Coast and Wetlands TONIGHT at the Lytham Assembly Rooms, beginning at 7.30pm.

Laurence Rose, chairperson of the Ribble Coast and Wetlands Country Park and Regional Director of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds will be giving the presentation.

This event promises to be a fascinating and informative evening, so come along if you can!

The Lytham St Anne's Civic Society are actively involved in trying to protect and preserve the natural and historic environment along that stretch of the River Ribble, including trying to protect the SSSI/Ramsar/Green Belt sand dunes and the foreshore from development, sand extraction, and neglect.

This is a particularly fragile area of the Ribble's ecosystem, at the mercy of the sea and the weather as well as the short-sightedness and neglect of human behaviour.

As this area is also at significant risk of flooding, it is now more important than ever that the natural flood defences of the foreshore and sand dunes are maintained and improved for the long-term sustainability of the Ribble's wildlife ecosystem AND that of human communities.

Click here to find out more about the Lytham St Anne's Civic Society and their fight to protect the foreshore and the sand dunes;
and you can find out more about the importance of the Lytham Sand Dunes here at Defend the Dunes.

And treat yourself to one of the River Ribble's fantastic Ribbleside walks this Spring - along the River Ribble from Preston to Lytham St Annes. Gorgeous.

You can contact us at savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk

Severn Barrage Update

The controversial proposal to build a barrage on the River Severn is still in the pipeline.

Like the Ribble, the Severn is a crucially important intertidal river to the UK and Europe's Wetland Ecosystems - not to mention the World as huge numbers of birds globally rely on these crucial wetlands for over-wintering migrations AND for breeding sites.

And like the Ribble, the Severn has huge support OPPOSING the costly and ruinous absurdity of a barrage.

Yes, we DO need to increase our provision of renewable energy. But NO, it is NOT ACCEPTABLE to DESTROY ONE PART OF THE ENVIRONMENT TO "SAVE" THE ENVIRONMENT!!!

River Barrages are costly and destructive and UNSUSTAINABLE.

Our Wetlands are crucially important and irreplaceable.

Alternative, SUSTAINABLE, and cost-effective renewable energy schemes - such as Tidal Lagoons do exist. It's time to start thinking outside the barrage.

Visit the Save Our Severn Blog for more information, and SIGN THE SEVERN PETITION NOW!

Our intertidal rivers are vitally important - and under threat from developers and ill-conceived schemes which claim to "save" the environment but which will destroy these vital ecosystems forever.

Don't let it happen.

Save the Severn.

Act now.

You can contact us at savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk

Vernon Carus Development Proposals - Loss of Green Space and "Protected" Flood Zone 2

The development proposals for 425 new houses and a business area on the Factory Lane site at Vernon Carus in Penwortham are currently in the public domain and will be submitted for Planning Permission over the coming weeks (possibly in the same or amended form from the current plans).

The good news is that the developers are promising to ensure the long-term survival of the Vernon Carus sports pitches.

The bad news is that the development is NOT JUST proposed for the factory site itself but extends back behind the factory right across the south of the site to Leyland Road at the Sumpter Horse (which will be demolished to make way for a roundabout and access road and further developments) and to The Cawsey at the old gas works.

In fact, by far the larger part of the development will obliterate a significant stretch of green field which runs between the reservoir in the east and the stream cutting through towards the River Ribble.


you can click on the map to enlarge it...

Whilst the good news is that the area to the east of the reservoir will be protected and managed as a wildlife area, and the trees running alongside the stream and the land to the west of the stream alongside the housing development is not included in the plans (at the moment!), the further bad news is that this entire green field area is also designated FLOOD ZONE 2 in the Strategic Flood Risk Assessment.


The proposed development is in the paler blue Zone 2 Flood Risk area. The darker blue is Zone 3, floodplain and higher risk.

Local people already know that this land is a wetland, steadily soaking up huge amounts of rainfall per cubic metre and releasing this water slowly down to the river and safely away, but as Flood Zone 2, this land is also at risk of flooding in extreme events.


This map shows Flood Zones 3 and 2, often overlapping one another in this area. The colour-coded key is difficult to follow but the paler area covering the development site is Zone 2, and the yellow dotted line around it means the Environment Agency have document flooding in this area. The darker areas between Factory Lane and the River Ribble are Flood Zone 3 and floodplain, plus a flood warning area.

This is why the Strategic Flood Risk Assessment is supposed to be ensuring that developments take place in Flood Zone 1, the lowest risk areas.

As it is, the size of this development will be of serious concern to local residents already struggling to cope with the ever-increasing traffic volumes and congestion which already exists on Leyland Road - and due to increase still further anyway with the existing new housing developments already passed for the old gas works site.

The SITE of this development will increase flood risk to existing communities as well as put the new homes themselves at risk. The developers are claiming that having a drainage system taking rainwater straight to the reservoir will ensure flood risk is not an issue but the land will still BE UNABLE TO SOAK UP AND HOLD THE VOLUMES OF WATER IT CURRENTLY DOES IF THE LAND IS CONCRETED OVER.

It is clear that continuing to build on flood risk areas and flood storage areas cannot continue: we need URGENT ACTION ON FLOOD RISK NOW.

We feel that the development should be scaled down to the factory site ONLY which will make this development much less unsustainable than the current plans which entail significant loss of water storage areas, loss of green space and biodiversity, and unacceptable increases in traffic in an area already struggling to cope.

Once these proposals are submitted for Planning Permission, we will examine the final plans and their potential impact on the sustainability of the area in more detail. In the meantime, you can view the Penwortham Mills plans, and can comment to the developer Bovis Homes by 22nd February using their comments page. The proposals will be submitted for Planning Permission in the Spring...

You can contact us at savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk and let us know what you think.

Vernon Carus Plans on Public Display

The plans for the Vernon Carus development on Factory Lane in Penwortham will be made available for public viewing at Vernon Carus Sports Club on Factory Lane this week:
- on Friday, February 8, from 10am to 6pm, and
- on Saturday, February 9, from 10am to 4pm.

According to the Lancashire Evening Post:

'Residents are being asked for their views on the proposed redevelopment of the former Vernon Carus mill in Penwortham.

Bovis Homes wants to build up to 400 homes on the 23- hectare site in Factory Lane.
The developer hopes to build a mixed-use development including new homes, business space, and community facilities.

David Shard, Bovis Homes regional managing director, said: "We want to breathe new life into this disused factory site and provide the right kind of housing, employment and leisure opportunities for local people.

"In order to do this, we want to hear the views of local people and get their feedback.

"We hope this process will enable us to prepare a planning application that will deliver a number of benefits."


According to The Preston Citizen:

'The development will also enable the Vernon Carus Sports Club gain security of tenure on its grounds, opening the door to potential funding from sports bodies and the national lottery needed to update the club's facilities.'

Hopefully this means that our sports facilities are safe... but what does it mean in terms of floodrisk issues, and regarding developing on any of the surrounding green spaces?

If you can, check the plans out for yourself.
If you can't make it to Vernons, the proposals will be online from February 8 at www.penworthammills.info/.

Closing date for submissions concerning the plans is February 22.
Please note this IS NOT YET A PLANNING APPLICATION: the developers are seeking your views on the development.

We will, of course, be analysing these proposals in the light of local concerns for the future of the Vernon Carus sports pitches and regarding the little matter of floodplain and green space developments, so as soon as we've had a good look at the plans, we will post more details on the blog... watch this space for further details coming up soon...

You can contact us at savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk

A ‘Revitalised’ Riverside, or a Developers Dream?

click on the article to read it in full

According to the Lancashire Evening Post, the Chairman of the Vision Board, Malcolm McVicar has stated that the Preston Vision Board want ‘to press ahead with plans to revitalise the riverside as it flows through the city – with or without the controversial barrage’.
He has also said that ‘The river is a tremendous asset for Preston which is largely ignored’…

Could it be that Preston Vision Board are finally getting off the “Regeneration” = Concrete mind-set at last, and recognising our fantastic river and riverside areas for the unique and irreplaceable assets they really are?

Jane Brunning of Save the Ribble is also quoted in the Lancashire Evening Post saying that ‘she would be quite happy with development of the riverside which did not upset its delicate ecosystem’ as ‘It is a case of working with nature and enhancing it rather than just concreting up the sides of the river as has previously been suggested’.

What Jane is talking about is the following:

Local people have been arguing right from the very beginning of the summer of 2005, when the Riverworks scheme first reared its head, that what WE want to see is our natural River Ribble and riverside assets genuinely enhanced by sensitive improvements which WILL revitalise the area for locals and visitors.

We are particularly keen that the wetland infrastructure, and riverside and green belt habitats should be improved, alongside improvements to access and facilities for people, and thus ensure this fantastic asset attracts even more visitors to the area and will also contribute an exciting new facility to the new Ribble Coast & Wetlands Regional Park.

It is also the case that restoring wetlands 'reduces flood risk'.

- All of these ideas put forward by local people are in keeping with the objectives set out by the Environment Agency to increase both biodiversity AND flood protection by keeping floodplains undeveloped and increasing wetland provision to protect both local communities and the environment against the impacts of climate change.

- They are also in keeping with the Strategic Flood Risk Assessment which aims to ensure floodplains and other flood risk areas remain undeveloped, and with a number of biodiversity plans including the Lancashire Biodiversity Action Plan, the Integrated Ribble Catchment Management Plan, and Planning Policy 17 Planning for Open Space, Sport and Recreation to name but a few…

So could it be that Preston Vision Board are listening to both local people and Environmental organisations at last? Are we finally in agreement regarding “revitalising” our riverside areas?

Sorry to disappoint you but Preston Vision Board’s ideas of how to ‘revitalise’ the riverside still means pouring concrete all over it. The Vision Board ‘dream’ is still to see ‘cafes, restaurants, and homes alongside the river…’ ... 'with or without the barrage'...

Malcolm McVicar’s comments and ‘dream’ appear to show that the Vision Board has a lack of knowledge and lack of respect for the River Ribble, the riverside area, local communities, and all of the environmental strategies directly connected to the River Ribble itself as well as to broader biodiversity and flood management issues:

For instance, did you know that, according to Mr. McVicar, ‘In other cities you can walk along the riverside’?
This suggests that you CAN’T walk along the Ribble! Yet local people and visitors manage to walk right next to the Ribble on both the Preston and South Ribble banks. Amazing! (Wonder if he’s heard of The Ribble Way...?)

Did you know that ‘In other cities… you can live next to it’ as well?
Are those of us who DO live right next to the River, in Broadgate, Frenchwood, Ashton, Penwortham, Middleforth, and Walton le Dale, imagining our homes? We must be! Yet, there they are, looking as solid as anything!

Of course, building MORE homes near the River has been identified as a bad idea as far as ensuring our flood risk does not increase still further, but the fact remains that there are already a large number of homes by the River Ribble in Preston and South Ribble, so if you fancy living right by the river, check out the local estate agents to see what's available...

Clearly you CAN walk alongside the River Ribble, you CAN live next to the River Ribble, and even sit and enjoy a drink and a meal by the River Ribble!

Admittedly, since The Continental closed its doors, the choices for local people and visitors about where to enjoy a meal and a drink whilst relaxing by the river are reduced to either the Bridge Inn, the Shawes Arms, or the Tickled Trout - and very nice they are too! - but once the Pavilion café opens in Avenham and Miller Parks, more choices will exist.
Of course, many riversiders prefer to relax on the river banks away from the crowds and festivities, and there are many, many areas to choose from on both the Preston and South Ribble banks to do this whilst walking along the river – or at least, we have for now…

And yes, it WOULD be nice if The Continental re-opened and perhaps built a nice terrace overlooking the river by the wall to save us having to sit on the wall itself as we while away our summer evenings by the river…
And yes, there are places, perhaps along the harbour wall off Strand Road where a nice restaurant and another café could be built… but clearly what Mr. McVicar means by revitalising the riverside is building a whole new development ‘alongside the river’ in ways which will not “revitalise” the riverside for people or the environment but make a lot of money for developers at the expense of our unique riverside areas.

How many cities do you know have an Internationally-important wetland ecosystem 5 minutes walk from the city centre?
How many cities do you know with wildlife-rich wetlands just a stroll away from the main shopping areas?

How many times do cities with developments right on their riverbanks flood?

So the next question is, where might this ‘dream’ Vision of concrete be?

As the Preston Vision Board, do they mean to build a large new riverside development in Preston itself? If so, where might this be? Frenchwood Rec? Fishwick Bottoms? Hmmm… probably a bit too far away from the city centre. Well that only leaves Avenham and Miller Parks then...

...Unless, of course, they mean the Penwortham banks too…? We think Mr. McVicar and the Vision Board’s ideas to “revitalise” the riverside must be referring to something like the huge new urban conurbation of thousands of houses, businesses, and riverside walkways, cafés ands restaurants highlighted in the Riverworks brochures for the Penwortham Green Belt, with a number of areas selected on Frenchwood Rec and Penwortham Holme thrown in perhaps...?

Either way, whether Frenchwood or Penwortham or some other riverside area in Preston or South Ribble, the facts remain that their eyes are on developing on the riverside, which not only plays a vital role in biodiversity, but is also floodplain…



So, if Preston Vision Board are pressing ahead with these riverside developments, why are they blatantly ignoring Environment Agency advice to stop developing on the floodplain?

Why are they ignoring the remit of the Strategic Flood Risk Assessment?



Why are they ignoring the obvious situation we are experiencing with increasingly high rainfall and flooding?
And last but not least, why are they ignoring the wishes of local people?

Mr. McVicar does appear to mention local people as he says: ‘the problem is that some people do not want any change’, and goes on to say that ‘We cannot afford to live in the past’.
Mr. McVicar, WE AGREE WITH YOU. Some people do not want any change, they seem to think that the only way to ‘revitalise’ or “regenerate” an area is to carry on doing the same old things that people have been doing in the past: concrete over it and ignore the consequences.

We DO WANT change, and WE do not ignore the River: we want to see developments that are sustainable for the environment and for local communities, for a better future for all of us.


Incidently, the plans for the Vernon Carus development on Factory Lane in Penwortham will be made available for public viewing at Vernon Carus Sports Club on Factory Lane on Friday, February 8, from 10am to 6pm and Saturday, February 9, from 10am to 4pm.'

For the full story, see Lancashire Evening Post and The Preston Citizen.

The proposals will be online from February 8 at www.penworthammills.info.
Closing date for submissions is February 22.

We will, of course, be analysing these proposals in the light of local concerns for the future of the Vernon Carus sports pitches and regarding the little matter of floodplain developments, so watch this space for further details soon...

You can contact us at savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk

Park and Ride scheme for Allotment Site?

The Lancashire Evening Post recently reported that land for a park and ride was being sought in the Penwortham area, and that one site being considered was the allotments on the A59 out of Preston.



Allotment site on A59

In the article Coun Tony Martin states "We were looking at one of the allotments down there but it is very difficult to tell people they have to go because we want to build a park and ride."

Read the whole article at Search continues for Park and Ride zone

Counsellor Martin has since emailed me to reassure all allotment holders that the site was not being considered, contrary to the report in the post, for all the reasons cited below, and more...

The allotments are not suitable for any kind of development for a number of reasons.


Allotments have the full protection of the law with regards to their development. All allotments in Penwortham are statutory sites and this means they cannot be used for any purpose other than as allotments unless it can be proven that they are surplus to requirements. There are waiting lists for all the allotment sites in Penwortham.
Allotment law is complicated but the 1925 Allotments Act established Statutory Allotments, which a local authority could not sell or convert to other purposes without ministerial consent.
This provision was strengthened in 2002 when the Planning Policy Guidance Note 17 – Sport, Open Space and Recreation was changed and the criteria clarified by adding that

The allotment in question is not necessary and is surplus to requirements

The implications of disposal for other relevant policies, in particular development plan policies, have been taken into account.

In fact the Government clearly state that

“The Government's aim is to ensure that allotments are well managed, are considered as part of the overall green infrastructure, and are only disposed of where there is no demand for them and established criteria have been met. We are committed to working with local authorities to promote best practice and ensure quality and appropriate availability now and for future generations” Department of Communities and Local Government

It is clear from this that it is not sufficient to offer an alternative site to allotment holders and that as long as the allotments have 100% occupancy and a waiting list they cannot be disposed of under current legislation.


The allotments in Penwortham are also on floodplain land. Environment Agency advice and the recently published Strategic Flood Risk Assessment for Central Lancashire identify the need to ensure ANY new developments are in Flood Zone 1 ideally, or Zone 2, not in Zone 3 which the allotments are. Concreting over floodplain will exacerbate flood risk to nearby communities as floodwater storage capacity will be reduced and surface water run off will be increased. Recent heavy rain across Britain has shown how important floodplain land is to the protection of communities.


Relieving traffic congestion in Preston is a good idea, but a park and ride site here will exacerbate traffic problems within Penwortham and could create worse traffic congestion on one of the busiest routes into and out of Preston. A site further towards the Hutton side of Penwortham would surely be a better location.

Finally, allotments have many benefits to the environment, which should not be lightly discarded. These include the benefits to the people that use the allotments – better health, both physical and mental, better diet, and more sustainable food production, including fewer travel miles for food, and benefits for the community around, including open green spaces and increased biodiversity. A biodiversity action plan was produced for Lancashire in 2007, which recognised the importance that wildlife can make to the quality of life in both rural and urban areas. Allotments are identified as important to this plan. Lancashire County Council aimed to promote lifestyle choices that can have a beneficial effect on allotment habitats and/ or associated species by ensuring that sustainable community plans at district level recognise the importance of allotments to the quality of life. Lancashire County Council Bap template for habitat action plans

For more details about Tony Martin's reply, click here.

For previous post on these allotments click here

Broadgate Flood Risk Meeting This Thursday, & Flooding & further Flood Warnings on the Rivers Ribble, Darwin, Douglas, and Hodder This Week...

Local residents in Broadgate are invited to a Flood Risk meeting at the Gujarat Centre on South Meadow Lane this Thursday evening 24th January at 7pm.

This meeting has been organised by the local councillors for the Broadgate area as they are concerned that a number of local residents are not aware of the new flood warning system which was recently launched by the Environment Agency for the Broadgate area, and missed out on the previous meeting about this issue.

It is hoped that officers from the Environment Agency will be present to explain the new warning system and the flood risk issues for the Broadgate area, how local people can best protect their homes, and how you can find out more about the benefits of registering for the warning scheme.


click on the poster to enlarge it for more details...

A large number of residents are already very concerned about the levels and speed of the river this week, given the high rainfall and Spring Tides due for this week, the flooding already occurring across the area, including in Walton-le-Dale and by the Tickled Trout, plus further upriver at Ribchester, the river was already over onto Miller Park and the floodplain areas behind Margaret Road in Penwortham on Monday at low tide and a number of properties throughout the Lower Ribble are sandbagging their front doors just in case.

Flood Warnings are currently in force for the Upper Ribble and Lower Ribble, and the Rivers Hodder, Darwin, Yarrow and Lostock, and Douglas, (all of which then run into the Ribble), and areas under the Environment Agency warning include Walton-le-Dale and Preston, Ribchester, Settle, Gisburn, Clitheroe, from Whittle-Le-Woods and Chorley to Croston including Leyland, Coppull, Eccleston, Lostock Hall and Bamber Bridge, Salmesbury, Rufford, Mawdesley, Hesketh and Longton, Southport, Banks, and Crossens, from Tuesday 21st onwards, so check the Environment Agency's Flood Warning list if you are concerned your area may be at risk.

You can contact us at savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk