Blackpool high school to be redeveloped for housing

The council is set to sign off plans to build up to 176 homes on the former Bispham High School at a meeting next week.

Blackpool Council owns the 22-acre site and is the applicant for the scheme, which is set to see a mix of housing developed across the former school, its playing fields, and neighbouring scrub land.

The school closed in 2015 has since been demolished, while the playing fields cover around four acres to the north west of the site. A small section of the school site is currently used as an air cadet hut.

The hybrid application put forward by the council includes full planning permission for the relocation of the existing air cadet hut, and the construction of 176 homes across the site. These are to include a mix of detached and semi-detached homes, along with apartments.

The main residential area of the development will be on the former school, with access via Bispham Road, while housing within the western part of the site will be split into two further areas, separated by public open space and landscaping. Further public space is also proposed as well as retaining part existing  playing fields to the north west.

The housing element of the application is in outline, with the number of affordable homes and the housing mix to be determined at a later date.

To mitigate the loss of part of the playing fields, a full-size all-weather football pitch will be built at Stanley Park; this has been put forward following objections to the scheme from Sport England.

Blackpool Council’s planning officers have recommended the proposals for approval at a meeting next week, arguing the scheme’s contribution towards the borough’s housing requirement would “weigh overwhelmingly in favour of the application”.

Planning consultant De Pol is advising the council on its application, which will be discussed on 1 October.