Gove commits £40m to unlock Nikal’s £300m Blackpool regeneration

Michael Gove has committed £40m to unlock Nikal’s £300m Blackpool Central regeneration. The funding, Gove’s first major intervention since being reappointed as secretary of state for levelling up will be used to relocate Blackpool’s courts to a new state-of-the-art complex in the Blackpool town centre. A specific location will be announced at a later date. Nikal CEO Richard Fee said: “It’s fantastic that the Government has stepped in to support what is undeniably one of the most important levelling up projects in the UK. It will enable us to move forward with certainty, accelerate our vision for Blackpool Central and unlock the wider regeneration of the area.” The department said: “The ambitious Blackpool Central project had stalled because there was no funding to move the Magistrates and County Courts currently situated within the proposed site, and this risked scuppering the entire £300m private sector-led regeneration scheme.” Around £8m from the government’s Town Deal had already been awarded to support the relocation of the courts. The town was listed as one of Gove’s 20 areas ripe for a “King’s Cross-style” regeneration in the levelling up white paper. Gove said: “Blackpool is a town full of life, energy, and immense potential but for too long it has been overlooked and its communities undervalued. Our £40m Levelling Up investment will revitalise this great town by delivering much-needed homes, more jobs and new opportunities for local people.” The Blackpool Central scheme will see the area transformed into a year-round leisure destination, home to new entertainment centres, hotels, restaurants and a new public square and Heritage Quarter. It occupies an ice-cream cone shaped site stretching inland from the beach, a block south of the iconic tower. It was once the site of the Blackpool Central station. Work has already started to construct a new car park on the site, the first step to unlocking the regeneration. Lynn Williams, leader of Blackpool Council, said: “We are delighted by the support to enable our exciting scheme to go ahead. This is a real example of joined-up Government at its very best with the objectives of the Government, Ministry of Justice, Department for Levelling Up, Blackpool Council and the developer Nikal all being met as a result of this welcome action by the Secretary of State.” Blackpool Central is the largest single investment in the seaside resort town for over a century. Gove is currently in Blackpool to attend the 38th British-Irish Council Summit. Image courtesy of PR