New site found for Blackpool Magistrates Court unlocking land for vital investment

Town hall chiefs have revealed they are in talks to buy the site which has been chosen out of eight potential new locations for the courthouse.

Costs are being kept under wraps while negotiations are underway, but the deal would solve the need to move the court building to enable delivery of the Blackpool Central development.

The first two phases of investment in Blackpool Central include the UK’s first flying theatre, multi-media exhibition space and a 150-bedroom hotel as well as enabling work to build a 1,300 space car park.

The courthouse site is needed for phase three of the massive scheme.

A report to Blackpool Council’s executive says the site “is a critical element to the overall delivery of the masterplan for the scheme, covering approximately 30 per cent of the site.

“The ability to develop out the whole site and complete the masterplan presented by the developers cannot be understated with its transformational benefits bringing about greater opportunities for visitor attractions, local employment and supply chain spend and general economic growth across the resort.”

Councillors are being asked to agree the purchase of the land at a virtual meeting of the executive on June 15.

It is currently owned by Maple Grove Developments, part of the Eric Wright Group, which bought the 3.7 acre site for £1.05m from the Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust last year.

Council documents say Maple Grove will sell the land to the council providing the deal is done by June 30.

If the sale goes ahead, plans for a new magistrates and county courts would be drawn up and presented to central government “with a view to securing funding for the construction of new facilities in due course.”

The scheme is also part of a wider strategy to bid for £25m of funding as part of the Government’s Town Deal.

The land has been empty since Devonshire Road Hospital closed in 2007 and was demolished. It was leased by the council for a short time as a staff car park.

The current magistrates court is part of the same complex as the former Bonny Street police station which has been empty since 2018 when the police moved to a new police station on Clifton Road in Marton.