Blackburn with Darwen welcomes £8m youth investment

The council has secured government funding to be invested in facilities for children.

Blackburn with Darwen Council has received an £8m boost from the government’s Youth Investment Fund. This funding will see improvements to the existing Darwen Youth Centre and Blackburn Youth Zone, along with the creation of two youth centres.

Cllr Phil Riley, Leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: “This is a brilliant outcome for our youngsters in the borough and comes on the back of an incredible amount of hard work by the council and our partners.

“This funding will see our youth facilities transformed – supporting our mission to ensure every child and young person has opportunities to fulfil their potential.”

The council will invest £3.3m into Darwen Youth Centre off Knott Street. Plans for the centre include a new wellbeing area, creative workshop space, recording and DJ studio, gaming zone, and multi-use spaces, as well as upgraded outdoor sports facilities.

Blackburn Youth Zone will receive a £2.9m investment. The facility off Jubilee Street will be expanded into the unused Fuse Box building behind to provide an employment and skills hub.

Hannah Allen, chief executive of Blackburn and Darwen Youth Zone, said: “In this dedicated space, we can empower young people and industry to come together to address identified skills gaps, supporting young people to acquire new skills to meet demand and access a range of employment opportunities to improve the economic wellbeing of the young people of Blackburn with Darwen.

“The Fuse Box is an important heritage project for the town and we are excited to hear and re-tell the stories of the past and form new stories – giving young people the space and opportunity to find their spark.”

Funding will also facilitate the creation of a £1m youth centre on the site of the existing Audley and Queen’s Park Children’s Centre to deliver new, dedicated youth spaces, as well as specialist mental health care and employability and rehabilitation support.

The council will invest a further £800,000 into Shadsworth Hub, part of Together Housing Group’s £20m plan to improve community facilities, outdoor spaces, and homes in the area. Part of Together, Newground Together will operate the facility to provide new indoor and outdoor spaces.

Nic McGrath, director of Newground Together, said: “We’re excited to start working with young people in Shadsworth to create a space they can call their own and develop a range of positive activities and opportunities.

“This enables us to fulfil our ambition to invest in young people and their community, alongside the wider development planned for the neighbourhood.”