Blackpool Football Club East Stand update

It will follow on from an application for community pitches as part of the Revoe Sports Village, which was submitted last month.

The scheme has received £6.5m from the Town Deal, with Blackpool FC owner Simon Sadler also set to invest heavily in the project.

An update to a full meeting of Blackpool Council says: “The project will aid the regeneration of the Revoe area, creating jobs and encouraging over 1,700 people to engage in health and well-being activities through the creation of a new community sports facilities on a cleared and rehabilitated site.

“The first planning application has now been submitted for the community sports pitches with a second for the new East Stand to be submitted early next year.

“Letters have been issued to all properties in and around the Henry Street and surrounding area in late October. Later this month, a second letter will bemailed out to properties which need to be acquired for the scheme.”

Meanwhile Blackpool Football Club is seeking retrospective planning permission for structures installed as part of its fan zone at Bloomfield Road.

The facility, comprising a modular building where supporters can buy drinks and food, has been up and running on match days this season on the corner of the North Stand and East Stand.

Documents accompanying the fan zone application say: “While the fan zone represents an improvement to supporter experience on Blackpool FC match days, this will be a short term solution for this part of the site.”

The fan zone opens for supporters 90 minutes before kick-off and closes at half time, in line with the times for the opening and closing of turnstiles.

Planning permission is not required for the fan zone itself as it is an ancillary use to the stadium, but it is required for the modular unit and some of the fencing.

It is said the area reduces the risk of anti-social behaviour because it is heavily monitored and encourages supporters to arrive at the stadium early rather than closer to kick-off time.

The development can continue to operate while the retrospective planning application is under consideration by the council.