Inside Blackpool’s landmark Former Royal Mail Sorting Office with ‘huge potential’ being offered to developers

Council bosses are looking for interested parties to help redevelop a huge landmark building in the heart of Blackpool town centre.

Blackpool Council is seeking expressions of interest to move forward the redevelopment of the Former Sorting Office, in Edward Street.

This property was formerly home to a Royal Mail Sorting Office which closed in 2015. It is part of a wider freehold site which is locally known as the Old Post Office, which is a separate Grade II Listed property, which has separate development proposals and is not included in this opportunity.

The neo-Renaissance building offers prominence and scale on Edward Street, with the street having seen significant public realm investment. It sits close to the resort’s iconic Winter Gardens and Opera House, and to Talbot Gateway, home to the new £65 million Multiversity Education Campus opening in 2028.

The property forms part of the wider “Old Post Office” site, which secured an £8million grant from the UK Government’s Capital Regeneration Projects Fund in 2023 for a Hotel Indigo scheme that ultimately did not proceed due to viability constraints.

In 2025, the Council used part of the grant to acquire the site and safeguard its future, with the aim of returning it to economic use. Since being awarded the grant, the Council has undertook remedial works. Grant support may remain available to help the viability of a redevelopment, subject to approvals and legal and subsidy requirements.

At nearly 50,000 sq ft, the building has been the subject of different planning approvals in recent years including retail and leisure uses as well as hotel use.

Whilst not listed by Historic England, it is locally listed and located within Conservation Area. The ground and upper floors of the property are largely open plan. An additional structure was added to the roof to form a fourth floor, which is in a state of disrepair. The front façade is in a reasonable condition, with the rear façade in a state of disrepair. The site includes a large inner courtyard, and it is envisaged that this will be split appropriately between the subject property (Former Sorting Office) and the Old Post Office, subject to the requirements of both redevelopments.

CBRE, working with Walker Sime, is acting for the Council on the Preliminary Market Engagement (PME), with Stage 1 expressions of interest invited by November 27. A Stage 2 is subsequently expected to invite detailed proposals through a preferred route.

The objectives of this PME are to: support development of requirements and approach; alert the market of the upcoming opportunity; identify suppliers that may be able to deliver the scheme; gauge the level of market interest and seek feedback to a number of areas of the development opportunity.

Council bosses said Blackpool has an exciting £2bn+ Regeneration Programme underway across the town centre, with the Former Sorting Office identified as a key part of driving Blackpool's economic growth to create employment and new development.

Councillor Mark Smith, Cabinet Member for Economy and Built Environment at Blackpool Council, said: “Our £2bn+ Growth and Prosperity Programme is transforming Blackpool, bringing new investment, jobs and opportunities.

“With major regeneration projects reshaping the town, more than 8,000 workers and students expected in the town centre over the coming years, and an extended tourism season supporting year-round activity, the Former Sorting Office presents an exciting development opportunity in the heart of Blackpool.

“We are keen to receive expressions of interests from parties with the vision and experience to bring forward a high-quality, sustainable scheme that delivers lasting benefits for Blackpool and supports a thriving town centre.”

Further detail of the development opportunity is available in the Former Sorting Officer Development Opportunity Brochure here.

Interested parties can find out more information here.

Former plans

The Old Post Office site which includes the Former Sorting Office has been part of multiple planning approvals over recent years, predominately for hotel use but also for retail and leisure uses.

2017 -‘Red Box Quarter’ Planning Application - No. 17/0504 & 17/0503

Proposed leisure, retail, office, restaurant and café use across both the subject property and the Old Post Office building, with the erection of a ‘plaza’ within the courtyard to first floor area. Permission Granted.

2019 Proposed hotel conversion - Planning Application No. 19/0163 & 19/0164

Proposed hotel conversion in the subject property for a 102 bed hotel, with ancillary leisure and retail uses in the Old Post Office building, together with two x 3 storey rear extensions and car parking for 46 vehicles. Permission Granted.

2021 new Hotel plan - Application No. 21/0587 & 21/0591

Proposed hotel conversion of the subject property and the Old Post Office building into a 148 bedroom hotel, together with a three storey link extension, fourth floor roof extension, three storey rear extensions and car parking. Permission Granted.

2022 Another new hotel plan - Planning Application No. 22/0933 & 0934

Proposed hotel conversion of the subject property and the Old Post Office building into a 146 bedroom hotel (approximately 93 of which within the subject property), together with a link extension, three storey rear extension and car parking. Permission Granted.

Whilst each of these planning applications have included separate listed building consent applications, this is as they included the Old Post Office building which has a Grade II Listing. The subject property is not listed by Historic England, but it is Locally Listed and located within a designated Conservation Area.

Grant Background

The site, including the subject property, secured an £8m grant from the UK Government’s ‘Capital Regeneration Projects Fund (CRP)’ in 2023 on the basis of a proposed Hotel Indigo development.

Since the merging of various grants, and its partial utilisation to purchase the property and undertake repairs, the remaining grant now sits within the ‘Local Regeneration Fund’ with additional flexibility for local authorities to adapt deployment to local needs and priorities.

Grant is therefore potentially available to support a redevelopment of the subject property, subject to council review and approval, including compliance with relevant legal and subsidy requirements, should a preferred bidder and deliverable scheme be identified.

Remedial work undertaken by Blackpool Council

Works undertaken since the Council’s ownership have been predominately for security and urgent safety matters. These include:-

- Metal shutters and metal doors to all ground floor windows

- Vinyl wraps over the GF windows to make presentable

- 3 x CCTV monitored towers to courtyard

- Strip out of high-level loose sheeting to Sorting Office

- Perspex sheeting to broken windows

- Industrial clean of courtyard, Post Office and Sorting Office

- General safety items

- New electrical installation for the roller shutter and access area