Howard Henshaw

After campaigning against the development of North Beach Car Park for several years, I am pleased to learn that the Council is at last being asked to reconsider it’s decision to sell off this asset to developers, after all of the Conservative  councillors previously voted for it’s disposal, claiming that the site was ‘under utilised’.

Residents will be aware that I have been campaigning for beach and wind sports to be encouraged on St. Annes North Beach for over 10 years and the plans by Eddie Sloane’s Trax Group to build a Wind Sports centre on the site of the old Sand Yacht Club site are very welcome. Consequently, I hope that the Scrutiny Committee’s recommendation to save the car park is accepted by the Conservative cabinet for the future benefit of all residents and visitors to  St. Annes. 

I would like to thank Clifton Drive North residents, Peter Savic and Arthur Halstead for supporting me in this campaign and former British  Sand Yacht champion, Ian Dibdin and Eddie Sloan for their forward looking views on the development of Beach Sports in St. Annes. If Fylde Conservatives had adopted a similar stance - perhaps we would not have lost out to Blackpool in the promotion of the growing Olympic sport of Volleyball, which I pleaded with the Conservatives to encourage on St. Annes Beach, many years ago.  The attached photograph was taken on 31st.May 2009  showing North Beach Car Park completely full with nearby Norwood Road ,used as an overflow, also full of parked cars.  (Photograph courtesy of Peter Lord, Caryl Road)