Council launches procurement for central housing transformation
Blackpool Council has formally begun the process to appoint a development partner to deliver a major regeneration scheme in the town centre, issuing a request to participate for the Central Housing Regeneration Area.
The council says the scheme covers a 13-acre parcel of central Blackpool and proposes around 230 homes as part of a masterplan that stretches beyond housing to include public spaces, community facilities, local commercial uses and improved infrastructure.
Cushman & Wakefield is acting as the council’s strategic property adviser for the procurement, which the authority describes as a significant step in a 15-year strategy to tackle entrenched housing market challenges and improve the appearance and sustainability of inner Blackpool.
What the council is seeking
Blackpool wants a development partner with demonstrable experience in large-scale regeneration, placemaking, funding and delivery. Subject to planning and approvals, the council says development work could begin in 2028.
- Site: Central Drive area, central Blackpool (13 acres)
- Homes proposed: around 230 residential units
- Funding: backed by a £110.4m Homes England grant
- Timescale: part of a 15-year vision; potential start of work in 2028
The council frames the project as a catalyst for wider regeneration across inner Blackpool, aiming to create a high-quality residential-led neighbourhood that will attract further investment and address long-standing local issues.
“People who live in central Blackpool deserve quality housing, nice neighbourhoods and green spaces where they want to raise their children,”
The quotation comes from Cllr Dave Flanagan, Blackpool Council’s cabinet member for housing, who said the council was looking for a partner who shares its ambition to create high-quality homes, attractive public spaces and a thriving community that will improve lives “for decades to come.”
Where this fits in the town’s wider ambitions
The Central Housing Regeneration Area is one element of a broader slate of projects intended to reposition Blackpool. The council emphasises that the redevelopment is not simply about new homes but about delivering a mixed-use environment with facilities and public realm improvements designed to make the area more sustainable and attractive.
Blackpool’s drive to secure long-term investment is running alongside other strategic moves: the town was recently confirmed as one of the final four contenders to host UK City of Culture 2029 and has advanced several other development projects, signalling a period of intensified activity for planners, developers and local authorities.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Site area | 13 acres |
| Planned homes | ~230 |
| Major grant | £110.4m from Homes England |
| Adviser | Cushman & Wakefield |
| Potential start | 2028 (subject to approvals) |
For residents, the announcement raises immediate questions about consultation, tenure mix, affordable housing supply, disruption during construction, and the ways social and community infrastructure will be delivered. The council has signalled its intent to find a partner that can blend funding and delivery capacity with strong placemaking credentials, but the finer details will emerge during the procurement and planning stages.
As the formal procurement gets under way, developers and regeneration organisations are invited to register interest and demonstrate their experience delivering complex, multi-faceted schemes. The council’s position is that the right partnership could provide a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform central Blackpool and set a new course for the inner town.
Locally, the project will be watched closely. With major public grant funding secured and a clear strategic narrative about community improvement, the next phases of procurement, design and consultation will determine whether ambition is matched by outcomes for the people who live in the parts of town the scheme is meant to benefit.
