RTKL - Blackpool, Blackpool North Station and Talbot Road

Date: 14 May 2010

Blackpool grants Outline Planning Permission for £220 million centre.

Blackpool Borough Council has granted Outline Planning Permission to Muse Developments, the developer of Talbot Gateway, to proceed with a £220-million civic and commercial centre that will be the centrepiece of efforts to revitalise the seaside town in the North West of England.

Masterplanned by RTKL, this step opens the door for Blackpool's continued regeneration effort, with the first phase of construction scheduled to begin in 2011.

RTKL's vision will transform 25 acres of underutilised land around Blackpool North Station and Talbot Road into a new "gateway" to the town. Talbot Gateway is a key development in Blackpool's long-term efforts to elevate its image and attract visitors, residents and investors.

"Blackpool is making a significant investment in its future," said Mahmood Faruqi, LEED(r) AP, Director of Planning and Urban Design with RTKL's London office. "This project will create a high-quality environment, an attractive welcome to the town, and a place where visitors and residents want to both live and work. It is a vital element of the town's long-term development aspirations."

It won't be the first time this particular transportation hub has been a catalyst for Blackpool's urban transformation. When it first opened in 1846, what was then known as Talbot Road Station brought the first trains-and the first tourists-to Blackpool. The influx of travellers quickly transformed Blackpool from a small coastal farming community into England's top travel destination. The leisure industry boomed for a century and at its peak, attracted over 10 million visitors per anum.

Blackpool Council and ReBlackpool, the urban regeneration company, have embarked on a 15-year effort to restore the town's image; Talbot Gateway is a key component of this effort.

Talbot Gateway will provide a new transport interchange that features a redeveloped train station, 2,987 parking spaces, and improved pedestrian and bike routes. As the entry point to the town, the high-quality public space will feature a new council office building, police headquarters, county/magistrates courts, a supermarket, retail space, dining, four hotels, office space and residential development.

"The district will create hundreds of jobs and be a long term economic engine for the town. It will help Blackpool retain businesses that already exist in the town centre and attract new investment, visitors and residents," Faruqi said.

With Blackpool Council's approval of the planning application, RTKL will prepare detailed architectural plans for specific projects contained in the master plan.

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