Blackpool Council has confirmed that the £300m scheme is back underway (Image: Nikal Ltd/Blackpool Council)
Ambitious plans to inject into have been on the cards for six years, with little in the way of actual progress beyond a new multi-storey car park and extended tram line.
The scheme, which has allocated over £300 million of council, government and private funding to transform the town into “a world-class leisure development” slammed on the breaks after developer Nikal Ltd filed for liquidation earlier this year.
The delay was met with disappointment from locals, who had been counting on the creation of new indoor theme parks, an innovative “flying theatre” and a 70,000-square-foot public square to keep year-round.
But Blackpool Council has now confirmed that the project is firmly back underway, alongside a search for new investors of an “international calibre”.
New demolition work has been planned for the new year, also making way for new hotels, restaurants and an artisan food hall at an allocated 17-acre site in the town centre.
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The plans are expected to include an innovative ‘flying theatre’ (Image: Nikal Ltd/Blackpool Council)
B&B owner Steve Fazakerley, 60, told Express.co.uk: “It’s something that will help us to keep going.
“This is the kind of investment we need – rides, hotels and outdoor spaces.
“It would turn the town into an all-year attraction. At the moment, there’s nothing for people to stay for. They come for the day then go away again.”
The extensive project will mark a significant boost for the seaside town in more ways than one – with upgrades also planned for local university campuses and the creation of an estimated 1,000 new jobs.
It could also boost annual spending in the town by £75 million – but was put at risk when Manchester-based Nikal Ltd collapsed in the autumn.
The firm was pushed to its limit by a £4.6 million claim won against it by the contractors recruited to build the completed car park, according to Construction Enquirer.
But Lynn Williams, leader of Blackpool Council, is determined to find other investors for the scheme – pledging the local authority’s commitment to “making Blackpool better for everybody”.
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The scheme is expected to boost trade in the town year-round (Image: Nikal Ltd/Blackpool Council)
It’s a sentiment sure to be popular with small businesses who have been hit by the cost-of-living crisis’ impact on tourism.
Mohammed Maneer, 32, whose dad runs Deneside Guest House, said people were now choosing to “spend £50 on groceries” rather than a summer break.
And despite concerns on the ground, the seaside resort continues to be a top destination throughout the summer months, with footfall reportedly up a whopping 41% year-on-year in July.
Ms Williams said the new project would “extend our tourism season to be all year round” and support local economy growth.
“The road to regeneration isn’t always mooth, but we will not stand still,” she added. “We have very high standards for the type of attraction which this site needs and any fitire scheme will have to mcatch those ambitions.
“To deliver on that, we need serious investors and we will be heavily marketing this opportunity to get that international calibre of attraction.”