Blackpool Council agrees new Heritage Investment Strategy & to use resort's rich heritage for positive change

Blackpool will use its rich history and heritage as a “force for positive change”, under a new Heritage Investment Strategy for the town.

Blackpool Council has approved a detailed strategy for 2026-2031. It outlines how to not only protect the town’s heritage but use it as a resource for community, learning, regeneration and growth.

This includes proposals to strengthen the town’s network of heritage organisations, appoint a Heritage Lead to coordinate activities and projects, and establish a Heritage Programme Board to drive progress.

The strategy was drawn up with feedback from community groups, local experts, and people who live in, work in or visit Blackpool. Hundreds of people responded to a public consultation seeking insights and ideas through workshops and an online survey.

The Heritage Investment Strategy sets out four core priorities for how the council can both care for and build on Blackpool’s heritage, by:

• Celebrating what makes Blackpool distinctive – Focussing on protecting built heritage and historic places, from Blackpool’s iconic Tower and tramways to cherished non-designated buildings. Prioritising preserving and adding to the collections, archives and communities that hold the town’s records and memories. And celebrating the traditions, entertainment, practices and identities that exist across different communities.
• Caring for places and the environment – Ensuring the protection and long-term resilience of the coastline, landscapes, parks and public spaces, and promoting sustainable, low-carbon approaches to managing built heritage.
• Connecting people and heritage – Strengthening the relationship between people and heritage by not only ensuring access to heritage but encouraging community ownership of it too. Creating opportunities for people to contribute their knowledge and see their own experiences reflected within heritage.
• Building capacity for the future – Developing the Heritage Network to foster a heritage sector within Blackpool and give organisations and communities opportunities to share knowledge and ideas, capitalise on opportunities or deliver joint projects.

Blackpool Council has already demonstrated the impact of investing in heritage assets across the town. Since bringing the Tower and Winter Gardens back into public ownership, it has delivered wide-ranging restoration works across the venues.

Cllr Lynn Williams, leader of Blackpool Council and cabinet member for tourism and culture, said: “Blackpool's heritage is one of the key things that makes our town so special. It can be seen in the buildings and places that define our streets and seafront, but it is also found in collections and archives, community memories, traditions, cultural activity and our town’s natural environments. Fundamentally, heritage is about people – it is created, sustained and given meaning by communities, volunteers, organisations and individuals.

“I believe heritage has an important role to play in our future too. We know it helps create pride in place, brings people together and strengthens the connection between communities. It reminds us of our shared history while inspiring us to think confidently about what comes next.

“This strategy is all about how we can make our heritage work for communities in Blackpool and, by extension, our visitors. It sets out how we can work together to protect what matters and celebrate what makes Blackpool special as well as use heritage as a force for positive change.”

Introduction of the Heritage Investment Strategy comes as Blackpool is set to hear this week if it has made the shortlist to become City of Culture 2029; following the bid developed by Blackpool Council and Creative Blackpool. If successful, Blackpool would receive £10m to host a year-long celebration of arts and culture for the benefit of residents, visitors and businesses.

The strategy was considered and approved by the council’s Executive Committee on October 12.