Work to start on seven Blackpool Town Deal projects following approval of £39m funding

Work is set to start on all seven Blackpool ‘Town Deal’ projects after the council confirmed approval of the £39.5m of government funding.

Until now the money had been ring-fenced, pending approval of individual business cases for each project.

The Government’s £3.6bn Town Fund was announced in 2019, and Blackpool was one of the first of 101 towns in the UK to secure funding.

The projects which are now fully approved are:

• Blackpool Central Courts Relocation – allocated £6.95m. Supporting the relocation of Blackpool’s County and Magistrates Courts by releasing land for the final phase of the £300m private sector investment at Blackpool Central. This will provide a new, world class, visitor attraction, open year-round providing a major boost to the visitor economy including major job creation.
• Blackpool Multiversity Land Assembly – allocated £9m. Land assembly to enable the relocation of the Blackpool & The Fylde College’s Palatine Road campus to allow the creation of a world class university learning environment in the town centre. It will help to address local skills needs, working with local employers and in partnership with Lancaster University. The new Multiversity Campus has been designed to accommodate more than 3,600 learners.
• Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone – allocated £7.5m. Creating a new road to open up development sites to attract jobs and investment at the Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone (EZ). Through the creation of new highways, the scheme will support business and jobs growth, opening up 10.5 hectares of previously inaccessible development land.
• Revoe Community Sports Village – allocated £6.5m. This project will aid the regeneration of the Revoe area, creating new sports pitches and facilities for community use. It will catalyse investment within the Blackpool FC Bloomfield Road ground and surrounding area. The overall project aim is to provide a sports village with leisure, education, and residential uses and attract further private investment to the area.
• The Edge – allocated £4.5m. Redevelopment of the existing town centre Stanley Buildings to create modern office space for new start-ups and growing businesses, and providing business advice for growth-ambitious small businesses. The Edge is the name given to the new extended managed workspace that will bring into use large parts of the upper floors of the building to create a vibrant business hub with a choice of offices, meeting rooms, co-working and breakout spaces.
• Blackpool Illuminations – allocated £4.5m. The project will provide investment to upgrade the world famous Blackpool Illuminations to attract new visitors by developing new features and lighting technology. A number of new centrepiece attractions will be designed alongside new lighting infrastructure improvements and essential technical equipment needed to deliver the illuminations in a greener, more sustainable way.
• Youth Hub – allocated £0.5m. The development of a physical space to support young people in the town to access jobs and training and to make the jump from school or unemployment into work, smoother and easier. The Youth Hub will provide a ‘one place base’ providing quality advice for young jobseekers aged 16-24. The service will be located in a vacant town centre unit within Bickerstaffe House, a council-owned building.

Leader of Blackpool Council, Cllr Lynn Williams, said: “A lot of work has gone in so far to get us to this point and I want to take this opportunity to thank all those involved in that work. We have consulted widely on the projects that have been approved and I am confident that they will help to provide Blackpool residents with what they need in their town.”

Paul Smith, chair of the Town Deal board, said: “It is a huge step forward now these projects have been given the final seal of approval. The Town Deal board proudly work to that ensure we represent the needs and views of the Blackpool community and businesses and I am confident this investment is going to the right places with the right plans.”

Minister for Levelling Up, Neil O’Brien, said: “This is a huge moment for the people of Blackpool. This £39.5mm Town Deal will back seven impressive projects to revitalise the town, strengthen the local economy and help Blackpool become a thriving coastal community again.”