Rising costs have been blamed for delays in plans to build a community sports village and new spectator stand as part of development alongside Blackpool Football Club. The scheme – which is part of Blackpool’s £39.5m Town Deal – has stalled since planning permission was granted two years ago for the Revoe Community Sports Village.
A planning application for a new East Stand at Blackpool FC’s Bloomfield Road stadium was also expected to be submitted to the council in 2024 but has so far not materialised. Now minutes from the latest meeting of the Blackpool Town Deal Board held at Blackpool Football Club in December, have revealed “that the scheme had been temporarily paused into the New Year as costs have escalated.”
An update to the board given by Blackpool FC chief executive Julian Winter says a cost review is being undertaken and it is hoped to bring a report to the next meeting of the board in February “with a clearer position”.
The minutes say: “Consultation activity on the planning application for the East Stand planned before Christmas has now been put back to the New Year. A cost review is being undertaken and will aim to report to the February Board meeting with a clearer position. Avison Young are the project managers and are working with the BFC finance team now.”
However the minutes add that Mr Winter “reiterated the intention was still to complete both elements of the project”. Tenders for the construction of the community sports pitches are currently being assessed and “the club and the council were working hard to move the scheme forward.”
The scheme includes £6.5m from the Town Deal and is one of seven projects funded from a total of £39.5m awarded to Blackpool Council in 2020. The deadline for the money to be spent by is the end of the 2025/26 financial year.
Blackpool FC’s Bloomfield Road stadium
(Image: Copyright Unknown)
There is also £17.6m of co-funding allocated to the scheme, with Blackpool FC owner Simon Sadler expected to contribute. Documents also included in the minutes from the Town Deal Board Meeting give target dates for the demolition of the existing East Stand by September this year and completion of the new stand by June 2026.
The target date for delivering the community sports pitches is January 2026. The minutes say only two houses and the Firwood’s timber yard remain to be acquired on Henry Street as part of the site assembly needed to build the East Stand.
Empty houses on Henry Street acquired by the council
(Image: Copyright Unknown)
It is still hoped the whole of the site can be acquired without the need for a compulsory purchase order (CPO) which could lead to further delays. Blackpool FC was also granted planning permission in 2024 by both Wyre Council and Blackpool Council to build a new training ground and academy on land off Steeton Road on the Grange Park estate.
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