Here's how planners will shape Blackpool in coming years

The figure makes up just one element of the resort’s Local Plan setting out development strategies up to 2027.

Documents also set out tougher policies to control takeaways and betting shops, proposals for specialist shops inside the Winter Gardens, and a new town centre food store.

Following approval by the council’s executive this week, the Local Plan will now go out to a six week consultation, and follows on from the Core Strategy adopted in 2016.

Alan Cavill, director of regeneration at the council, told the meeting held online: “This is getting to the end of the Local Plan process which has been running for three-and-a-half years.

“It allocates those areas we feel are appropriate for development within the borough.”

Housing

National planning policies dictate around 2,893 new homes need to be delivered in Blackpool between now and 2027.

The Local Plan identifies land at Whyndyke and Moss House Road in Marton to provide around 750 new dwellings towards the total.

An estimated 1,500 further homes will be provided on windfall sites which includes the conversion of surplus holiday accommodation into housing.

Policymakers state in the document there is currently an over supply of smaller homes, particularly in the inner areas, with more family houses needed.

But affordability must be taken into account to recognise lower than average incomes among residents.

Takeaways

Stricter rules are proposed around where fast food outlets are allowed to open in order to promote healthier lifestyles.

It is proposed to restrict takeaways from opening in or within 400m of wards where more than 15 per cent of year six pupils or 10 per cent of reception pupils are classified as very overweight.

The Promenade will be excluded from the policy, but it will include the town centre behind the seafront to reflect problems in the inner wards.

Documents in the plan warn the “proliferation of hot food takeaways is a concern across Blackpool” with cheap, unhealthy food “typically served in large portions” considered a factor to be tackled in the fight against obesity.

Betting shops

The Local Plan is seeking to prevent clusters of betting shops, adult gaming centres and pawnbrokers operating in the town centre.

The document says proposals must show they will not impact the character and function of an area, do not have a detrimental impact on the vitality of the town centre and will not lead to “unacceptable concentration of such uses in one area”.

This will require that none of the specified uses in the policy are adjacent to each other, there are at least two units in other uses between this type of premises, and there are no more than three (in total) betting shops, adult gaming centres or pawnbrokers within 400m of each other.

Town centre food store

The former Syndicate nightclub site in Church Street, which is owned by the council and currently used as a car park, will be allocated for construction of a new food store and multi-storey car park.

This would help support more town centre living and “address the need for an additional proportionate food store towards the north periphery of Blackpool town centre”.

Planners say it would not compete with the existing Sainsbury’s store on Talbot Road.

The report says assessment shows “this additional retail floorspace complements, rather than competes with the substantial investment made at Talbot Gateway in the delivery of the Sainsbury’s.”

At the same time it would “attract shoppers and residents nearby back into the town centre, instead of travelling to other food stores in the borough to meet their shopping needs.”

Shopping including Winter Gardens

There are also proposals to introduce specialist shops into the Winter Gardens as part of the strategy.

Retail activity will continue to focus on the main pedestrianised core of Church Street, Victoria Street, Bank Hey Street and the Houndshill Shopping Centre.

But planners warn future investment needs to include “the introduction of higher-end retailers and quality eating establishments. “

Documents add: “Opportunities for future development of the principal retail core include further phased development of the Houndshill Shopping Centre and the introduction of a complementary specialist retail offer within the Winter Gardens.

“The Winter Gardens is adjacent to the principal retail core and would complement the retail offer and form part of the retail circuit.”

Green infrastructure

Greening up more areas of Blackpool is also a priority following the recent publication of the council’s Green and Blue Infrastructure strategy.

Planting would include areas of the town centre including the tramway extension up Talbot Road, around the new conference centre and the leisure development on Central Car Park.

It is also hoped to increase tree canopy to 10 per cent by planting 10,000 trees by 2027.

This includes creating a ‘Green Line’ between Blackpool South Train Station and the town centre and planting trees on key transport gateways such as Yeadon Way, Progress Way, Westcliffe Drive and Talbot Road.

Another proposal is to create allotments in the north of Blackpool.

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