Revised scheme for 176 houses on former Blackpool school site

A long-running bid to build up to 176 houses on the site of a former Blackpool school is due back before planners.
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Councillors are being recommended to approve the scheme to redevelop land occupied by Bispham High School before it closed in 2015, despite more than 50 objections from local residents.

The application by Blackpool Council was held up after Sport England objected to the loss of playing fields, but replacement facilities are now in the pipeline including at Stanley Park.

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Residents’ concerns include the loss of open space at the site close to Devonshire Road Rock Gardens, increased congestion on roads and pressure on existing routes including Regency Gardens and Leys Road.

The updated plan - beige areas are earmarked for housing development, green represents open space and blue shows the relocation of the cadet headquartersThe updated plan - beige areas are earmarked for housing development, green represents open space and blue shows the relocation of the cadet headquarters
The updated plan - beige areas are earmarked for housing development, green represents open space and blue shows the relocation of the cadet headquarters

It is proposed to develop three areas for housing, one area served from Bispham Road and two smaller areas accessed from Regency Gardens.

Although only outline at this stage, the plans show an area of public open space fronting Bispham Road, and a larger area of open space towards the rear of the site between the proposed housing areas.

The revised proposals show access to around 120 properties from Bispham Road with a further 56 approached from Regency Gardens, whereas previous plans showed access split evenly between both routes.

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Any developer would also have to stump up cash towards meeting increased demand from new residents on local services.

The council is seeking nearly £2m towards supplying additional school places, while £53,000 is required towards expanding health facilities.

A report to the council’s planning committee says the development “would not result in the loss of any part of the Rock Gardens or green belt and the site is not in a conservation area.”

But the council’s heritage experts are calling for an extended buffer zone to protect the setting of the Rock Gardens, which is a locally listed park.

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Planners admit the development will have a visual impact, but say the site “is enclosed by the urban fabric of the town with existing housing and business premises to the north, south and east.”

The planning committee will consider the application at its meeting streamed online at 6pm on Wednesday.

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