Major step forward for St Annes Seawall

Residents and businesses along St Annes’ historic seafront have reason to celebrate, after Fylde Council approved fully-funded investment to progress vital repair work on the town’s seawall, protecting homes, businesses and the beloved promenade for the next 100 years.

At a meeting on Tuesday 22 September, members agreed a new £400,000 capital scheme addition for 2026/27, funded entirely by the Environment Agency’s Regional Area Programme Delivery Mandate, to fund detailed design and technical development work on the seawall’s 660-metre headland stretch, from the mini golf site to the View Café.

The preferred approach will see a durable concrete overlay applied to the existing seawall and promenade, paired with a smart new sea outfall and storage system to manage wave overtopping, offering stronger flood and erosion protection for 510 local properties and businesses against even a 1-in-200-year storm event.

Specialist contractor VolkerStevin Boskalis Westminster (VBA) has been appointed, through the Environment Agency’s Beach Management Framework, to carry out the design and early contractor involvement work, backed by a £350,000 contract.

Councillor Thomas Threlfall, Lead Member for Environment, said: “This is fantastic news for St Annes. Our seafront is the heart of the town, and this funding means we can finally move forward with a practical, deliverable plan that will protect 510 properties and businesses from flooding and extreme weather for generations to come. I want to thank Council officers and the Environment Agency for their hard work and continued partnership in protecting our coastline.”

Design work will get underway in the coming months, with a further report to follow before any future construction phase begins.