ST ANNES Square looks set to sail into the new millennium with giant wind-breaks shaped like the billowing spinnakers of the resort's famous sand-yachts.

The dramatic idea will put the finishing touch to Fylde Council's ambitious re-shaping of St Annes town centre, standing either side of the seaward end of the Square, protecting shoppers from the notorious winds which blast in from the sea.

The council has set up a partnership with businesses to pilot the whole regeneration scheme to fruition - and British Aerospace has offered its aero-engineering skills to work with an artist on the wind-baffles which will have to withstand the hostile climate while still looking attractive.

Work on the £500,000 first phase - to revitalise one quadrant of St Annes Square between Woolworths and Garden Street- is due to start in February.

It will include seating, decorative shelters that can be used for displays or entertainment, coloured paving, trees, planting, artworks.

Other parts of the Square and surrounding streets will follow in phases - Wood Street is already on its way to becoming a continental-style restaurant and cafe area - and it is hoped that businesses will be able to revamp their shopfronts with financial aid. Said project co-ordinator Paul Drinnan: "The whole concept is based on the garden-town - St Annes was founded in Victorian times as a garden-town by the sea.

"Obviously we'll be taking into account the sometimes hostile climate, but we will have trees and bedding plants, with windbreaks around the seating areas."

The scheme is being funded by Fylde Borough and Lancashire County Councils, together with a £150,000 Heritage Economic Regeneration Grant for restoring buildings and shop-fronts and contributions from businesses.

The new Partnership will take over the project management, with members drawn from across the community - shops and businesses, leisure and transport groups, landowners and public services.

Its vision is officially set out as making St Annes "an attractive, safe, lively and accessible place for all those wishing to live, shop, work, visit and spend time there at day and night," by enhancing shops and services, improving its appearance, cutting crime, developing tourism, attracting investment and increasing involvement with community groups.

Businesses have paid for a £3,000 model of the scheme to be put on public exhibition in St Annes town centre in mid-November.

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