Blackpool sees final designs for Multiversity campus
The educational facility would bring almost 3,000 students and staff into the town centre when Blackpool and The Fylde College is rehomed to the site.
Plans have been submitted by Avison Young.
The 115,000 sq ft building would offer five floors of high-quality education space, which would be used to provide more than 70 courses for higher education students – to directly link students to local employment needs.
The campus would also be used to gain external qualifications, for further education, and for adult learning.
Alun Francis OBE, chief executive at Blackpool and the Fylde College, said: “We are really pleased with the progress being made to bring this amazing new facility into the heart of Blackpool. We look forward to sharing more details as the project progresses.”
Designed by Hawkins\Brown with CBRE advising, the campus’ terracotta tiled façade would sport floor-to-ceiling windows, looking out over a landscaped public square, designed by re-from landscape architecture.
A green roof terrace at the south of the building would be open to students.
Leader of Blackpool council, Cllr Lynn Williams, said: “As well as bringing thousands of students into the town centre, helping our local people to complete qualifications and find quality work, it will also provide a green public square to the area, incorporating trees, flowers and grassy areas, which will complement the similar planting which will happen around the DWP office.
“It will be a great green area within the town centre.”
Solar panels lining the rooftop, and the use of air-source heat pumps would aid the building’s carbon-neutral operation.
Parking would be provided for staff and secure cycle storage would be provided for students.
Blackpool council has appointed Morgan Sindall Construction as the main contractor on a pre-construction services agreement.
The Multiversity was granted outline approval in 2023 for more than 350,000 sq ft of education and commercial space on the site.
South of the site, a second phase would allow expansion space for the College or office space for the Talbot Gateway. For now, the site would be used as a temporary car park.
Land assembly for the site of the Multiversity is still underway, with over 60% of the properties purchased so far.
Blackpool council has the support of a £9m government grant, and construction was awarded £40m from the UK government in 2023.
A compulsory purchase order served in April will be heard at a public inquiry starting on 12 November.
The council has said it is offering a range of support to residents told to move due to the Multiversity’s development, negotiations are continuing.
The Multiversity represents phase four of the council’s £350m regeneration plan of the Talbot Gateway area by Blackpool North train station.
The wider plan includes a civil service hub which would bring 3,000 government employees to a 215,000 sq office on King Street next year.
The application can be viewed using the reference 24/0495 on Blackpool council’s planning portal.
