Blackpool Council property deals remain under wraps

The agenda for the meeting on September 7 includes the disposal of land at Queens Promenade, and the purchase of property in the town centre using prudential borrowing.

Councillors are being asked to consider whether both proposals should go ahead but details – including the location of the town centre property – are being kept under wraps.

Documents say making the decisions public could put future development at risk.

Conservative group leader Coun Tony Williams said it was wrong of the council to “work in secret and hiding behind smoke and mirrors.”

He added: “I am not that naive to understand the reasons behind commercial confidentiality but in both these examples I am sure that the deals will have already been done.

“How can you challenge the wisdom or reasons behind such important decisions when the council continue to ignore the people of the town and refuse to explain their actions.”

In relation to the town centre deal council papers say “it is considered on balance that the public interest would not be served by publishing the information as it could prejudice the proposed purchase and subsequent redevelopment.”

The council is currently undertaking large scale regeneration of the town centre.

Ambitions set out in a bid for government funding as part of a Town Deal include to create a civil service hub and invest in a new university centre as part of the fourth phase of the Talbot Gateway.

The council is also bidding for £25m from the government’s Future High Streets Fund and in August received £8.3m in advanced funding.

Of that, £5m will be used to start the £20m second phase of the Houndshill shopping centre and £3.6m to transform the Abingdon Street Market, with work due to begin in the autumn.