MIPIM | Blackpool Central: the future of leisure-led regeneration
Across the UK, town centres and resort destinations are now required to reconsider the role of leisure in driving long-term economic growth, writes Nick Gerrard of Blackpool Council.
Traditional models built around single attractions or seasonal peaks are being challenged by changing consumer behaviors, rising delivery costs, and the need for places that work for visitors, tourists, and local communities.
Blackpool Central offers a timely example of how leisure-led regeneration can evolve to meet these micro and macro pressures. Located on a 9.4-acre site within a very short distance of Blackpool Tower and immediately behind the Central Promenade, Blackpool Central sits at the heart of one of the UK’s most established visitor economies.
With over 23 million visitors a year and a tourism economy worth more than £2bn, Blackpool is already a proven destination. The challenge, and opportunity, is how to build on this long-term success in a way that supports year-round activity, attracts private investment, and delivers long-term benefits for the town.
Aerial view showing the development area. Credit: Blackpool Council
Rather than pursuing a single, enclosed attraction, the emerging vision for Blackpool Central is based on creating an open, flexible leisure quarter that integrates with the surrounding townscape. The initial concept masterplan focuses on a strong pedestrian spine linking the Golden Mile, world-famous attractions and town centre, anchored by leisure and supported by a mix of food and drink, accommodation, culture, events and high-quality public realm. A significant new green space also forms part of this approach, creating a destination that encourages dwell time and repeat visitation across different seasons, days of week, and times of day.
This shift reflects a broader trend seen across successful leisure destinations: the move away from mono‑use schemes toward places that combine experience, flexibility and everyday relevance. By prioritising adaptable spaces and phased delivery, Blackpool Central is designed to respond to market demand over time, rather than being locked into a single format. This flexibility is particularly important in the current investment climate, where operators and developers are increasingly focused on resilience, operational viability and long‑term performance.
Public sector commitment has been critical in enabling this approach. Blackpool Council has invested significantly in site assembly, preparation and infrastructure, including the delivery of a new multi‑story car park (1,300 spaces) and securing planning permissions for key elements of the scheme.
Blackpool Central also forms part of the town’s wider £2bn+ Growth & Prosperity Programme, which has already seen major investment delivered at Talbot Gateway Central Business District, the Winter Gardens Conference and Exhibition Centre and the town centre Multiversity skills and education campus. Together, these projects are bringing an additional 8,000 workers, students and visitors into the heart of Blackpool, strengthening the fundamentals that underpin investor confidence. This continues to be delivered in a phased approach, with the Ministry of Defence (2027) and Multiversity (2028) still to relocate to the town centre.
Importantly, Blackpool Central is not being promoted as a one‑size‑fits‑all solution. The site offers the scale and flexibility to accommodate a range of investment models, from joint ventures and phased development to operator‑led schemes. This openness is deliberate, recognising that unlocking complex leisure sites requires collaboration between the public sector, investors, developers and operators from an early stage
As the UK continues to reassess how town centres and destinations can thrive, Blackpool Central demonstrates the value of combining strong public sector leadership with a commercially grounded, market‑responsive masterplan. By focusing on connectivity, flexibility and year‑round appeal, the project aims to build on Blackpool’s heritage of entertainment and innovation while creating a sustainable platform for future growth.
With the right partners, Blackpool Central has the potential to become a new benchmark for leisure‑led regeneration on a global scale – one that works not just for visitors, but for the town and its economy all year round.
- Nick Gerrard is growth and prosperity programme director at Blackpool Council
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Are the buildings along the promenade facing away from the shore? Seems like a wasted opportunity.
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