Blackpool Council's dereliction of duty to Foxhall Conservation Area has resulted in spread of urban blight

The Foxhall Conservation Area includes a grid of streets opposite Central Pier and evolved into a dense area of lodging houses and private homes over 50 years from the 1860s. But campaigners say the council has failed to meet its obligations to maintain the historic district, and has ignored a petition first submitted in 2018 calling for action.

Now Andrew Cregan, the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate for Blackpool South in the upcoming General Election, has renewed calls for something to be done.

He said: "The petition involved a simple inspection of part of the conservation area, identification of long-standing dilapidated buildings that adversely impact this historic district, and a handful of simple low-to-no-cost measures necessary to bring the area back up to a decent state of repair.

"Despite a phone call received in 2019 to confirm the petition was received and that action would be taken, no action was in fact taken by the council."

He says many of the dilapidated buildings remain in the same state as five years ago with one b&b having the words 'decades of decay' daubed across it.

Mr Cregan said: "Blackpool Borough Council's dereliction of duty to the Foxhall Conservation Area has and continues to result in the spread of urban blight, adversely impacting the lives of local residents and the livelihoods of local business owners in an area with a strong record of civic pride."

Now he is threatening legal action if the council does not comply with the requirements expected in the conservation area.

Action he is calling for includes -

• Using Section 215 notices on the landlords of dilapidated properties, requiring that improvements be made to restore them to a decent state.
• Conducting an annual appraisal of properties within the conservation area and identifying bad landlords.
• Providing a mural to cover the facade of the electricity sub-station on Caroline Street.

Foxhall is part of an area designated for housing improvements using a £90m Levelling Up grant from the Government.

A Blackpool Council spokesperson said: "We are in the process of writing to the campaign lead in regard to the petition. At this stage, we have identified a broad area for scheme development. Over the coming months, we will be undertaking an extensive programme of community engagement and consultation with residents, outlining the extent of the proposed work including details of a potential first phase.”