Six weeks of demolition work to start in Blackpool town centre as Council paves way for £100m DWP hub

The flattening of a vacant row of properties on King Street is due to start on Monday, July 25, and will continue between 8am and 4.30pm, Monday to Friday, for six weeks.

Numbers five to 31 will be cleared to make room for the new 215,000 sq ft DWP offices, which will provide jobs for more than 3,000 civil servants. Landscaping work will also be carried out in the surrounding area, with new footpaths and cycle paths added.

The development is part of the council’s push to create ‘a better Blackpool’. Other town centre projects include a £300m entertainment complex, a 1,306 space multi-storey car park, new hotels, and the extension of the tram tracks to North Station.

READ: Funding secured to kickstart £300m Blackpool Central leisure development

A Blackpool Council spokesman said: “The demolition will be dusty and noisy but dust prevention techniques will be used to limit the disruption to neighbours. Access to the surrounding businesses will remain unaffected.”

Site preparation for the new DWP building, based at Bickerstaffe Square, began in early 2022.

The council said the development ‘will draw on Blackpool’s rich Art Deco architectural heritage, will boast an eco-friendly design, new pedestrian and cycle paths, plenty of bicycle storage for cycling to work and promoting a healthier lifestyle, and is extremely accessible, being just a few minutes walk from bus, train and tram stops, including a new tram interchange at Blackpool North train station.