View source for Westby-with-Plumptons

{{redirect|Ballam|the surname|Ballam (surname)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2015}}
{{infobox UK place
|official_name=             Westby-with-Plumptons
|country=                   England
|region=                    North West England
|static_image=              St Anne's RC Church, Westby Mills - geograph.org.uk - 466352.jpg
|static_image_caption=      St Anne's Church
| population = 1205
| population_ref = ([[United Kingdom Census 2011|2011 UK census]])
|os_grid_reference=         SD384318
|coordinates = {{coord|53.779|-2.936|display=inline,title}}
|post_town=                 PRESTON
|post_town1=                BLACKPOOL
|post_town2=                LYTHAM ST ANNES
|postcode_area=             PR
|postcode_area1=            FY
|postcode_area2=            FY
|postcode_district=         PR4
|postcode_district1=        FY4
|postcode_district2=        FY8
|dial_code=                 01772
|dial_code1=                01253
|civil_parish=              Westby-with-Plumptons
|london_distance=           {{convert|196|mi|km}}
|shire_district=            [[Fylde (borough)|Fylde]]
|shire_county=              [[Lancashire]]
|constituency_westminster=  [[Fylde (UK Parliament constituency)|Fylde]]
|pushpin_map             = United Kingdom Borough of Fylde#United Kingdom The Fylde
|pushpin_map_caption     = Shown within [[Fylde Borough]]##Shown on [[the Fylde]]
}}
'''Westby-with-Plumptons''' is a [[civil parish]] in [[Lancashire]], [[England]].  The parish is in [[Fylde (borough)|Fylde]] district and contains the [[hamlet (place)|hamlets]] of '''Great Plumpton''', '''Little Plumpton''', '''Lower Ballam''', '''Higher Ballam''', '''Moss Side''', '''Peel''', and '''Westby'''.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://mario.lancashire.gov.uk/lccbasemap/?box=333811:428695:340362:434445&tools=yes&layeron=parish | title=Map of Westby-with-Plumptons CP | publisher=[[Lancashire County Council]] | access-date=2008-07-17 }}</ref>  At the [[United Kingdom Census 2011|2011 census]], the parish had a population of 1,205.<ref>{{NOMIS2011|id=E04005175|title=Westby-with-Plumptons Parish|access-date=26 March 2021}}</ref> Westby and Plumpton are mentioned in the [[Domesday Book]], as "Westbi" and "Pluntun".<ref name=Farrer>{{cite web | url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=53212 | title=Townships: Westby-with-Plumptons | work=A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 7  | year=1912 | pages=174–176 | publisher=[[British History Online]] | access-date=2008-07-17 }}</ref>
Westby-with-Plumptons is part of the Warton and Westby ward, represented by three councillors on [[Fylde Borough Council]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fylde.gov.uk/Councillors.aspx?ward=Warton%20and%20Westby |title=Council and Democracy: Councillor Search: Warton and Westby |publisher=Fylde Borough Council |access-date=2008-07-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070310221822/http://www.fylde.gov.uk/Councillors.aspx?ward=Warton%20and%20Westby |archive-date=10 March 2007 }}</ref>  On [[Lancashire County Council]] it is part of Fylde West ward, which elects one councillor.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www3.lancashire.gov.uk/council/councillors/councillorsAreas.asp | title=County Councillors by Area (A-Z) | publisher=[[Lancashire County Council]] | access-date=2008-07-17 }}</ref>
The parish is generally low-lying, with [[arable land]] in the south and [[pasture]] in the north, which rises to {{convert|100|ft}} above sea level at Great Plumpton in the north-east of the parish.<ref name=Farrer /><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.lancashireparishcouncils.gov.uk/parishes/parish_display.asp?parishid=18 | title=Westby-with-Plumptons Parish Council | work=Lancashire Parish Portal | publisher=[[Lancashire County Council]] | access-date=2008-07-17 }}</ref>
The parish is now the home of the steel farm-building construction company J. Wareing & Son (Wrea Green) Ltd. which was for many years based in the neighbouring village of [[Wrea Green]].
== Moss Side ==
Moss Side (Grid Reference SD379302) is located in the south of the parish in between Wrea Green and Lytham with the B5259 road (Lytham Road) being the main road running through the hamlet.
The railway from [[Preston railway station|Preston]] to [[Blackpool South railway station|Blackpool South]] runs through the hamlet with [[Moss Side railway station]] being located where the railway crosses Lytham Road at a level crossing. The station first opened in 1846, closed in 1961 and was re-opened in 1983. The station in the past had a stationmaster's house and signal box, both of which have been demolished.<ref name="Ramsbottom">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TfvBBQAAQBAJ|title=Kirkham & Around Through Time|last=Ramsbottom|first=Martin|date=2013-11-15|publisher=Amberley Publishing Limited|isbn=978-1-4456-1672-8|language=en}}</ref> It is also close to where the [[Lytham rail crash|Moss Side rail crash]] occurred in 1924 which claimed the lives of 14 people.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nrm.org.uk/ourcollection/photo?group=Horwich&objid=1997-7059_HOR_F_3682|title=Test Engineering drawing|date=2013-02-28|website=www.nrm.org.uk|access-date=2016-08-20}}</ref>
Moss Side used to have a hospital which opened in 1902 as the Fylde Isolation Hospital (later known as Moss Side Hospital) for people with infectious diseases.<ref name="nationalarchives.gov.uk">{{Cite web|url=http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/hospitalrecords/details.asp?id=1697|title=The National Archives {{!}} Search the archives {{!}} Hospital Records{{!}} Details|website=www.nationalarchives.gov.uk|access-date=2016-08-20}}</ref> The hospital closed in 1988 due to being surplus to requirements as well as changes in medical practice and was demolished to make way for new houses.<ref name="Ramsbottom"/><ref name="nationalarchives.gov.uk"/>
There was also a small Wesleyan chapel on Lytham Road during the early 20th Century.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.genuki.org.uk/files/eng/LAN/Kirkham/MossSideWesMeth.jpg|title=GEN UKI}}</ref>
== Peel ==
Peel is a small settlement on the outskirts of Blackpool, featuring Whitehills Business Park which includes several car dealerships, a B&Q store and a Premier Inn. A business park has increased in size over the years to include a variety of small businesses from lawnmower repairs, a print and design company and BMW servicing to larger concerns such as a renewable energy company and building merchants. Local theatrical group Junction 4 Productions has its home here and Penny Farm run by [[World Horse Welfare]] is also nearby. Further afield, there are several caravan parks (Pipers Height and Clifton Fields Caravan Park) situated on Peel Road.
== Ballam ==
Ballam is a small hamlet in between Moss Side, Peel and Lytham, consisting of a small number of dwellings, a few farms and a small church which was previously the village school.
== Westby ==
Westby is another small hamlet, towards the north of the parish, located in between Wrea Green and Ballam, just south of Preston New Road.
==St. Anne's Church==
[[File:Interior of St Anne's RC Church, Westby Mills. - geograph.org.uk - 466357.jpg|left|thumb|upright|Interior of St. Anne's Church]]
Westby is notable for the [[Catholic church|Catholic]] church of St. Anne's, designed by [[E. W. Pugin]] and built in 1860. The exterior is plain, in contrast to the highly-decorated interior which has an elaborate timber roof. There are two important [[stained glass]] windows, a "[[St Cecilia]]" and the "Millennium" window.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lan-opc.org.uk/Kirkham/stanne/stanne.html|title=Lancashire OnLine Parish Clerk Project|website=www.lan-opc.org.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.stannewestby.org/about.html|title=stannewestby.org/About|website=Church of St. Anne, Westby Mills}}</ref>
==Fracking at Little Plumpton==
{{main|Hydraulic fracturing in the United Kingdom}}
[[File:Police and protectors (geograph 5473454).jpg|thumb|Protestors in July 2017]]
[[Cuadrilla Resources]] undertook its first, and to date, only, high-volume hydraulic fracturing job near Westby in 2011.<ref name=DECCwater>{{cite web|title=Fracking UK shale: Water |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/277211/Water.pdf |website=Department of Energy and Climate Change |date=February 2014 |access-date=22 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714051036/https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/277211/Water.pdf |archive-date=14 July 2014 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>{{rp|4}}<ref name="BBC 28Mar2011">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-12886987 |title=Blackpool shale gas drilling begins |date=28 March 2011 |agency=BBC News |access-date=29 February 2012}}</ref><ref name="Hendry 22Sep2011">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2011/sep/22/shale-gas-exploration |title=The potential for shale gas is worth exploration |author=Charles Hendry |date=22 September 2011 |publisher=guardian.co.uk |access-date=26 February 2012}}</ref> Cuadrilla halted operations in May 2011 at the site due to seismic activity damaging the casing in the production zone.<ref name="Macalister 13Mar2013">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/mar/13/fracking-cuadrilla-halts-operations-lancashire |title=Fracking company Cuadrilla halts operations at Lancashire drilling site|author=Terry Macalister|date=13 March 2013|publisher=guardian.co.uk|access-date=7 October 2014}}</ref>
In June 2015, [[Lancashire County Council]] turned down an application by Cuadrilla to extract shale gas by means of  [[fracking]] at a site at Little Plumpton.<ref name=bbc-20150629>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-33313084 |title=Council blocks Little Plumpton fracking application |work=BBC News |date=29 June 2015 |access-date=18 September 2017}}</ref> This was overturned on appeal in 2016 and the council's own appeal to the [[Court of Appeal of England and Wales|Court of Appeal]] was lost in January 2018.<ref name=theplanner-20170809>{{cite web |url=https://www.theplanner.co.uk/opinion/legal-landscape-the-case-against-fracking |title=Legal landscape: The case against fracking |last=Dehon |first=Estelle |publisher=The Planner |date=9 August 2017 |access-date=18 September 2017}}</ref><ref name=bbc-20180112>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-42667859 |title=Preston New Road campaigners lose fracking appeal |work=BBC News |date=12 January 2018 |access-date=26 March 2018}}</ref>
In November 2017 Cuadrilla, in agreement with the government, financially compensated the local community for the disruption. A community fund of £100,000 was created, and additionally households within 1&nbsp;km will receive about £2,070 and others within 1.5 kilometres will receive about £150.<ref name=bbc-20171106>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-41888362 |title=Little Plumpton fracking households to share £100,000 |work=BBC News |date=6 November 2017 |access-date=26 March 2018}}</ref> The cost of [[Lancashire Constabulary]] policing the site, since January 2017, was estimated to have been between £6m and £8m.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/business/call-for-review-as-fracking-policing-costs-rocket-1-8868650| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171121161247/https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/business/call-for-review-as-fracking-policing-costs-rocket-1-8868650| archive-date = 2017-11-21| title = Call for review as fracking policing costs rocket - Blackpool Gazette}} </ref>
==See also==
*[[Listed buildings in Westby-with-Plumptons]]
==References==
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{{reflist}}
{{Borough of Fylde}}
[[Category:Civil parishes in Lancashire]]
[[Category:Geography of the Borough of Fylde]]