COUNCILLORS expressed regret this week as the green gap dividing Cleveleys from Fleetwood shrank when diggers moved onto farmland to start building 100 new homes.

Despite a long campaign of opposition, including a public inquiry, Fairclough Homes eventually won planning permission to build a luxury estate on land formerly belonging to College Farm.

The land had been zoned for housing in the new Local Plan in order to meet government-set housing targets.

Cleveleys Park ward councillor David Oxley, who consistently opposed the development, spoke to The Citizen about the decision.

He said: "Although it wasn't technically green belt land in the legal sense, it seemed a great shame to build houses on what people always regarded as green belt when other places have now become available after ICI shut down most of its plant.

"We'll have to do all we can to defend the remaining green barrier between Cleveleys and Fleetwood - otherwise there'll be nothing but housing between Fleetwood and Squires Gate."

The loss of wildlife, ponds and hedgerows were a main plank of the objectors' arguments at the public inquiry, but at least they had won protection for a pond and some green space in the development, Coun Oxley said.

Planning applications chairman Coun Peter Hawley said: "It's always sad to see any green spaces absorbed by building, particularly within such a densely-populated area.

"However the Local Plan, which was finalised recently, identified this land for development and as such we have to follow that ruling.

"We're given housing targets and told we must find land for so many houses and it's been a very tight squeeze."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.