Blackpool ‘remains determined’ to see £300m leisure scheme delivered
Following the collapse of developer Nikal, the council is seeking to procure another partner for the Blackpool Central project “as soon as is practically possible”.
Nikal entered into a development agreement with Blackpool Council to deliver the £300m redevelopment of the former Blackpool Central station in 2020.
However, this agreement will be terminated next week after the developer entered administration.
To date, only a 1,300-space multi-storey car park has been delivered. Future phases, which have outline planning consent, include two indoor entertainment venues, an immersive theatre, a cultural quarter, a 200-bedroom hotel, and bars and restaurants.
The council said it “remains determined to see its vision and aspirations for a world class leisure development delivered on the site” adding that appointing a new partner quickly is “imperative” to maintaining momentum.
The 17-acre site is to be marketed early next year.
So we are 20 plus years on now from the proposed mega casino ( with no plan B ) when that all failed – the ridiculous proposal from Baybut and now the inevitable failure of Nikal. Has the world not moved on. Cannot Blackpool just be a place in its own right rather than a day tripper theme park ? How about central station site being squares with high end residential, bars ,restaurants ,gallery’s and boutique hotels,some open space and a cultural attraction. Say what you want in detail don’t go down road of tying site up with some fanciful developer. Just manage process long term plot by plot against a robust costed delivery plan.
By Anonymous
This is a disaster, and as many had suggested the building of the car park before anything else was a ridiculous waste of time and money. Unless this company have retained the right to run the car park? And if that’s the case, then it was obvious that all they wanted to do was to create a cash cow, fleecing holiday makers with car parking charges!
By Jonathan