Car park plan for land alongside Holiday Inn

Friday, 26 July 2024 13:46

By Shelagh Parkinson - LDRS

A site next to Blackpool’s £34m new Holiday Inn and tram terminal is to be developed into a car park – but some say it could be put to better use as green space.

The land on either side of the tramway extension on Talbot Road has lain empty since the hotel, which also includes a Marco’s New York Italian restaurant, opened to guests on May 1. The tramway extension was launched in mid June.

Now Blackpool Council has confirmed the site is due to be resurfaced in coming months and will be converted into a 110-space car park accessed from Queen Street. The facility will serve the hotel, but will be open to all drivers as it will be operated by the council.

However the use could just be temporary until future investments come forward. The masterplan for the Talbot Gateway regeneration area has earmarked the land for further development.

But some people say the land should have been set aside for use as an urban park instead.

Coun Paul Galley, leader of the Conservatives on Blackpool Council, said: “It is truly shocking that what should have been a great opportunity for positive change in Blackpool has been wasted yet again.

“There is a real opportunity to open the site as a park for people and not for cars. Blackpool centre needs a green space and this should be it, a place for people to relax, enjoy, walk the dog and crucially enjoy all the mental health benefits a park brings.

“What Blackpool doesn’t need is yet another car park. It’s time we put the people of our town first and gave them something back and what better thing than a new public green space in our town centre.”

The £350m Talbot Gateway has seen two phases of development completed, with the third phase comprising the £100m new civil service offices on Cookson Street due to open next year.

Phase four is due to be the £65m multiversity which has planning permission, while plans have been submitted for a fifth phase which is offices on the site of the former Apollo 2000 store on Talbot Road.