Developer sought for Blackpool’s Enterprise Zone ambitions

Blackpool Council is seeking a development partner for a seven-acre site at Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone.

The Eastern Gateway site has already been granted planning permission for employment purposes, with the preferred use a series of industrial units catered to the advanced manufacturing, energy, food and drink and digital sectors.

Cllr Mark Smith, cabinet member for levelling-up at Blackpool Council, said: “For developers, we have made great progress on the infrastructure, with power, internet and water being delivered to the site, and a brand-new landscaped access road available next year.

“With a large element of the risk taken out of the site, this allows a developer to work with us to realise our ambitions of creating more high quality jobs in the local area over the next few years.”

The development plots, which could cater for units ranging from 15,000 sq ft to 75,000 sq ft, will be available from summer 2025 and will be targeted for industrial and warehouse use.

Work to build an £18m road to access the development plots has started and is expected to complete in late 2025. The site is next to Blackpool Airport and will be five minutes from the M55 once the new access road is open.