Blackpool Council picks contractor for £65m education campus

Morgan Sindall Construction’s North West business has been selected to build a £65m education campus in Blackpool town centre. The appointment follows a competitive tendering process run by Blackpool Council which resulted in Morgan Sindall being selected as the main contractor on a pre-contract services agreement. The proposed 351,000 sq ft development will be delivered in two phases, starting with an education campus on the corner of Cookson Street and George Street, followed by future development across the southern end of the site by Milbourne Street and Grosvenor Street. Outline approval for the scheme, designed by Hawkins\Brown, was granted in April 2024, with a reserved matters application to follow later this summer. The campus, known as Multiversity, will bring up to 3,000 students and staff into Blackpool town centre and allow Blackpool and Fylde College to relocate from out-of-town facilities into a new hub off Cookson Street. The mixed-use educational scheme will be leased to the college, which will offer more than 70 courses and supporting qualifications, from further education through to higher education and adult learning. The Multiversity is phase four of Blackpool Council’s £350m regeneration of the Talbot Gateway area around Blackpool North station. The land for the latest phase of development is currently being acquired by Blackpool Council, with the support of a £9m government grant. The construction was also awarded £40m from the government in 2023. Steven Gregory, director for the North West at Morgan Sindall Construction, said: “Once complete, the campus will boost access to advanced skills for Blackpool’s residents and support the town centre’s wider regeneration.” Mark Smith, cabinet member for levelling up at Blackpool Council, said: “For a development of this size, we needed a large construction company with a track record in delivering education campuses. As we have done with other major developments, we will also be ensuring a real commitment to social value, such as hiring local companies where possible, supporting local labour, and encouraging training and apprenticeship opportunities for Blackpool locals.” Image © Adriette Myburgh