What's next for this stalled Blackpool housing project?

The £50m stalled Foxhall Village housing development has now formally been put into the ownership of Blackpool Council after a year of wrangling with the administrators.
By Shelagh Parkinson
Published 27th Aug 2021, 14:45 BST
Updated 27th Aug 2021, 14:46 BST
Work stopped in 2019Work stopped in 2019
Work stopped in 2019

Work stopped in October 2019 when contractor Hollinwood Homes went into administration with just 193 of the planned 410 homes built.

Now the council, which is the landlord of the site, has agreed to work exclusively with Great Places Housing Group to find a way to kickstart the development after securing it from administrators Price Waterhouse Cooper earlier in August.

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The exclusivity agreement will be in place for a year while the complexities of the site are unravelled which includes checking the quality of the work done on partially finished properties.

A council report says: “The complexities have meant that the administrator has exhausted the options to dispose and has agreed to surrender the leases, thereby returning control back to the council.”

The report warns the administration “has left an information vacuum meaning it has not been possible to secure technical information in relation to the work undertaken”.

This means there is some uncertainty over the “proven quality for work to recommence. ”

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It could mean some of the work already done “being condemned or require further undertakings to provide the necessary satisfaction to support the progression of the scheme.”

Foxhall Village is considered a flaship regeneration project by the council which assembled the site with the help of a £2.7m government grant, with work beginning in 2014.

Failed guesthouses were demolished to make way for the estate on two parcels of land between Central Drive, Rigby Road and Tyldesley Road where roads are named after Blackpool FC’s famous 1953 FA Cup winning team.

Great Places Housing Association already owns 79 homes on the site and is committed to a further 40 homes in the stalled phase three.

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The report adds: “Both parties have an interest in this, having already committed to the success of Foxhall Village.

“A stalled development, will not contribute to the long term goals for the area and long-term stagnation will place additional burden on the council to secure and maintain the site.”

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Related topics:BlackpoolWorkBlackpool Council