Work starts on new £100m office building for 3,000 civil servants in Blackpool

It is part of the place-changing £350m Talbot Gateway regeneration transforming Blackpool town centre.

Urban regeneration specialist Muse, and its partner, Blackpool Council, have started work bringing forward a 215,000sq ft office building for the Civil Service after naming VINCI Building as the contractor.

The civils servants will relocate to the striking, seven-storey regional hub, when it completes in March 2025.

It is proposed that the new offices will generate significant new footfall to the area, boosting trade to local businesses, retailers, restaurants, cafes and leisure facilities, alongside a wealth of new job opportunities for local people.

Coun Lynn Williams, Leader of Blackpool Council, said: “It is fantastic to see this development start on site and is a great start to the New Year.

"Throughout the pandemic we were determined to push on with our regeneration of Blackpool and it is really exciting to see so much of our vision for the future coming to fruition.

“This physical generation for the future of our town is critical, but most importantly it means more jobs for local people and more money in local people’s pockets through a huge increase in footfall and spend in our town centre.”

Alan McBride, projects director at Muse, said: “We’re pleased to appoint VINCI Building and to start on site building this fantastic facility on behalf of Blackpool Council.

“As a business, we’re committed to creating places which offer environmental and social benefits to local communities.”

The site, which will include a new town centre square with cycle and pedestrian routes, is within walking distance of the new tram interchange at Blackpool North Station which is nearing completion.

The interchange forms part of phase two of Talbot Gateway along with a new 144-bedroom Holiday Inn hotel, which will open later this year, creating 50 new full-time jobs to the town.