Hopes revealed to extend Central Library and Grundy Art Gallery

Architects have now been appointed by the council to produce designs for the scheme which could see the buildings extended into a neighbouring car park on Queen Street if it went ahead.

Funding to test the feasibility of the project has come from a grant of nearly £6m awarded to Blackpool in July 2022 from the Shared Prosperity Fund, which is part of the government’s Levelling Up agenda.

Ellis Williams Architects, which has offices in Liverpool and Manchester, has been chosen by the council to lead the design process.

A council report warns: “The facilities and capacity within these buildings are currently failing to meet the needs of the services operating within them.

“This is having knock-on impacts on visitor numbers which have fallen across all services in recent years, and the ability to leverage funding.

“Initial studies of the site and existing building uses have identified the potential to build into the adjacent car park to address some of these capacityissues, along with potential reconfigurations of the existing library spaces to accommodate pressing needs and to support a richer mix of uses.”

A feasibility study carried out earlier this year found extending the library and art gallery had the potential to increase visitor numbers by 59,000 per year, including 15,000 additional tourists, boosting annual visitor spend by £860,000.

Costs include £42,000 for the feasibility study, architects fees of £157,000 and survey and planning fees of £96,000. They will be met by the Shared Prosperity Fund matched by Economic and Cultural Services (Arts, Libraries and Economic Development).

Blackpool was allocated £5,885,134 from the Shared Prosperity Fund and had to produce a business case for how the money would be spent, which was approved last December.

The total includes £770,711 for the three-year Multiply programme to improve adult numeracy skills.

The remaining £5.1m is being invested into 13 proposals under the themes of people and skills, supporting local businesses and community and place.

When the spending plans were approved, council leader Coun Lynn Williams said the aim was “to make the biggest impact possible with the funding that has been allocated to us.”