£90m of Levelling Up funds earmarked to tackle deprived inner areas of Blackpool

The government has announced £90m funding to help turbocharge the work the council has already done to overhaul Blackpool’s housing market.

The announcement was made today by Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities at the Convention of the North 2024 in Leeds.

The sum of £90m from Homes England’s Brownfield Infrastructure Land Fund programme will catalyse vital regeneration projects in some of the most deprived areas of inner Blackpool. 

This new landmark investment which forms part of the government’s Levelling Up commitment to the town, will be used over the coming years to start to acquire property, facilitate master planning of key areas and help prepare for the development of new housing in Blackpool.   

In March 2022, Blackpool's Levelling Up regeneration partnership was announced by Michael Gove MP.  

The council initially received monies to scale up local enforcement teams to tackle rogue landlords and improve housing standards in Blackpool.  The government also supported Homes England to work with the council and partners to prepare a business case for funding of a first phase of physical intervention to improve housing in the central area of Blackpool.

This allocation of £90m of Brownfield Infrastructure Land Funding has been secured following the completion and approval of that business plan. 

 Cllr Lynn Williams Leader of Blackpool Council said: ‘’We are extremely pleased about today’s announcement. It has been eagerly awaited and is a testament to the strong working relationship we have with central government, Homes England and a number of other partners locally and nationally.   

“Our residents and communities desperately need better housing and investment in their neighbourhoods, especially in the inner areas of Blackpool. We will use this funding to continue the process of positive change, improving housing, neighbourhoods and life chances across inner Blackpool. We will be holding a full public consultation concerning our plans for a first phase.    

“We want to create strong neighbourhoods - stable, thriving and sustainable neighbourhoods that have access to things like health services, decent jobs, quality housing, schools and leisure activities.   

“It is our vision that over time you will see the removal of housing that does not meet modern standards, with new and better housing created in its place, in better neighbourhoods, designed with the interests of Blackpool residents and businesses at their heart. We want people to love where they live”. 

A full public consultation will be launched later this year.    

Peter Denton, Chief Executive of Homes England, said: ‘’I defy anyone to not be moved by the challenges that many of the residents of Blackpool face in their day-to-day life. Blackpool Council are utterly committed to addressing this and Homes England very much wishes to support the vision they have for their town and its inhabitants.

‘’This investment signals Levelling Up in action, indeed social equity, accelerating the regeneration of housing in inner Blackpool as part of a much wider mission to transform local communities and catalyse vital positive change in some of the town’s most deprived areas.

‘’We look forward to continuing our work together, to drive positive change and create strong and vibrant communities in the town.”