The Fylde Coast in western Lancashire is a largely urban strip of coastline that incorporates Blackpool and several other key towns such as Fleetwood, Cleveleys, and Lytham St Annes, which together form part of the Blackpool Urban Area.
Blackpool beach
With seaside entertainment, great beaches, sand hills, bracing sea air, and beautiful views from spots such as Lytham Green, the coastline has plenty to offer its residents. The Blackpool tramway runs up and down the coastline, offering easy connections between the towns, while commuters travelling further afield can get onto the M55 just inland at Blackpool, heading east to the M6 – accessing easy connections north or south.
Those hunting for rental accommodation on the Fylde Coast will find reasonably priced properties in most of these towns, with many of the more expensive rentals focused in and around Lytham St Annes, and in more sought-after suburbs of the other towns.
Here’s our round-up of what each of the key towns has to offer those looking for rental properties on the Fylde Coast:
Fleetwood (FY7) – a quiet, unassuming seaside town with low rentals
The relatively quiet seaside town of Fleetwood, once an important deep-sea fishing port, has struggled economically following the decline of the fishing trade – although there are signs that this is changing. A ‘masterplan’ has been submitted to the local council outlining three main areas of development, focusing on improved transport; a revitalised waterfront area with new housing stock, beach sports, a family area and a wider range of entertainment; and regeneration of the town centre, with more open spaces and an improved shopping and dining experience.
Currently Fleetwood offers a reasonably priced alternative for renters looking for somewhere near the coast, but less hectic than Blackpool and less expensive than Lytham St Annes. There is a good mix of housing ranging from small semi-detached homes to large detached properties, all tending to rent at below-average rates for the Fylde Coast. The town is only eight miles from Blackpool, with excellent connections via the tramway, and there are regular bus services to destinations like Preston. Families will find plenty of local schools catering for all ages, while for leisure time there’s the Mount, a hilly seven-acre park overlooking the seafront and topped by an historic pavilion, which provides a popular recreational area for the town.
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Cleveleys (FY5) – a traditional, family-friendly seaside town
About two miles south of Fleetwood and four miles north of Blackpool, Cleveleys is a traditional seaside town with numerous primary and secondary schools, a brand new award-winning promenade, a recreation area at Jubilee Gardens, an ice rink, a cinema, places to eat, and a long shoreline. It is also home to a good range of shops, pubs and sports teams, and hosts a number of events throughout the year. It is well-connected, with regular buses to Blackpool, Mereside, Lytham, Bispham and Fleetwood, and trams to Blackpool, Bispham, Thornton and Fleetwood. As is the case in most of the towns along this coastline, rental prices tend to be reasonable, and there is a good mix of housing available, from flats to large detached family homes.
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Blackpool’s South Shore (FY4) – a quieter, smartened-up area of town
Blackpool probably needs little introduction, thanks to its well-established image as the north’s most famous hedonistic beach resort – home to lively clubs, Blackpool Tower, the illuminations and the fairground at Blackpool Pleasure Beach. But alongside all of this entertainment, residents also have access to new indoor malls, the well-established Abingdon Street Market, and the pavement cafés and fountains of St John’s Square. The M55 starts on the edge of the town, offering easy access east to Preston, and onto the M6 for trips further afield. One of the top spots to live in Blackpool is South Shore. Already one of the more affluent areas, it has been spruced up even more as part of Blackpool’s ‘rebranding’ exercise, moving towards a gentler, more vintage seaside feel.
Rental properties range from flats to terraced Victorian houses, semis and larger detached homes, with rental prices tending to be above average because it is a sought-after area. There are several good primary schools nearby, making it popular with families, and a couple of secondary schools too. Hourly trains from Blackpool South railway station get you to the mainline at Preston in less than 40 minutes, making this suburb a good spot for commuters travelling inland who want to live near the beach – and trams run up and down the prom, connecting South Shore with other parts of town.
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Lytham St Annes (FY8) – an affluent, expensive, attractive coastal spot
Just a few years ago, the fashionable, sought-after seaside town of Lytham was given the title of third best small town in the world to live in. It has good schools and excellent transport links, with Preston lying just ten miles inland, and Blackpool only nine miles to the north.
Appealing to professionals, families, commuters and people who have retired and want to live by the sea, there is a good range of rental properties available in Lytham St Annes, sometimes at surprisingly reasonable rates. While a seven-bedroom detached Edwardian villa will obviously set you back a lot each month, there are smaller properties available too – right down to spacious one-bedroom apartments in large houses that have been divided into flats.
Click here to view property to rent in Lytham St Annes