Blackpool cultural hub’s £10m reset recommended for approval

Proposals to reinvigorate Blackpool’s Central Library and the neighbouring Grundy Art Gallery into a cornerstone of Blackpool’s arts scene will be put to councillors next week.

The £10m project, known as the Blackpool Cultural Hub, aims to boost visitor numbers to the gallery and library, increase storage space for art and artefacts, add more public toilets, and expand activity space – as well as to provide needed repairs to the buildings.

The main part of the scheme would see an extension built to increase the floorspace of the grade two-listed Grundy Art Gallery by 5,700 sq ft.

The two-storey extension to the gallery would be on the site of the adjacent car park, off Queen Street.

The Grundy Art Gallery hopes to provide an enhanced visitor shop space, a larger exhibition space and access improvements with a lift to the gallery’s first floor.

Next door, the Central Library, situated off the junction of Abingdon Street and Queen Street, would also undergo a refurbishment.

A new linkway between the two buildings will provide a direct and accessible connection, bringing the Cultural Hub together.

Improvements to the library’s WC facilities, the introduction of bookable ‘quiet spaces’, and a library café would complete the work.

The development’s rationale centres on the lack of usable space across the buildings being a significant reason for the steady decrease in visitors.

Blackpool Council’s application, submitted by Lambert Smith Hampton, aims to realise the “key opportunity for improvements to the site to act as a potential catalyst for wider uplift and growth [of the town]”, according to planning documents.

Plans for the project have been drawn up by Ellis Williams Architects.

On the project team is Curtins as the structural engineer and RPS as the services engineer.

Hydrock, AEC, i-Transport, and Ridge are also involved.

To view this application, use the references 24/0135 and 24/0136 in Blackpool Council’s planning portal.

The interior would undergo significant refurbishment. Credit: via planning docs