Final designs for Multiversity submitted

Plans for a new state of the art education campus in the town centre have been submitted for final approval.

A graphic showing a teal green building with solar panels on the roof and a garden area at the front

The Multiversity campus will provide a new home for Blackpool and The Fylde College, bringing up to 3,000 students and staff into Blackpool town centre.

The 115,000 sq ft building will include five floors of education space to deliver more than 70 individual courses and enhance the college’s existing higher education provision which is directly linked to local employment needs. It would also support a wide range of qualifications, from further education, through to higher education and adult learning.

The campus building will include a high-glossed terracotta tiled facade, along with floor to ceiling glass, while the surrounding area will also be greened up through landscaping and planting to create a public square.

Cllr Lynn Williams, Leader of Blackpool Council, said: “As well as bringing thousands of students into the town centre, helping our local people to complete qualifications and find quality work, it will also provide a green public square to the area, incorporating trees, flowers and grassy areas, which will complement the similar planting which will happen around the DWP office. It will be a great green area within the town centre.”

The building itself is expected to be carbon neutral in operation, with solar panels on the roof of the building, and heated by sustainable air source heat pumps. A green roof terrace at the south of the building will also allow students to both study and relax in a landscaped environment.

The building will also include a small dedicated parking area for staff, as well as secure cycle storage.

Avison Young have led as the planning consultants for the Multiversity, along with architects Hawkins\Brown and advisers CBRE. Blackpool Council has also appointed Morgan Sindall Construction as the main contractors on a pre-contact services agreement.

Outline planning approval for up to 32,600sqm of education and commercial space was granted for the whole Multiversity site earlier this year. In addition to the first phase Multiversity campus, a second phase immediately south will allow expansion space for the college’s future plans, or office space for the Talbot Gateway. In the short term, the space would be used as a temporary car park until funding is secured for the second phase.

Land assembly for the site of the Multiversity is still under way, with over 60% of the properties purchased so far and negotiations with the remaining property owners continuing. While a Compulsory Purchase Order was served in April and will be heard at a public inquiry on 12 November, the council continues to negotiate with property owners, and is offering a range of support to residents who have to move because of the development.

Cllr Williams added: “I understand that we are buying people’s homes and that for many this has been a difficult process. As throughout this process, support is still available to help find alternative accommodation and to move home. If anyone does still need support please do contact us.”

Alun Francis OBE, Chief Executive at Blackpool and the Fylde College, added: “We are really pleased with the progress being made to bring this amazing new facility into the heart of Blackpool. We look forward to sharing more details as the project progresses.”

The Multiversity makes up phase four of Blackpool Council’s £350m regeneration of the Talbot Gateway area around Blackpool North train station, which in total is bringing over 8,000 professional workers and students into the area.

A new 4 star 144-bedroom Holiday Inn hotel and Marco Pierre White New York Italian restaurant opened in May, while a tram-train interchange linking to Blackpool Promenade opened in June.

A civil service hub will bring over 3,000 government workers into a new 215,000 sqft office on King Street early next year, while full planning permission has been granted for a new million, 52,950 sq ft office off Talbot Road which would be home to over 1,000 employees. Plans for a new multi-storey car park off Church Street are expected to be submitted.

The land for the new Multiversity is currently being acquired by Blackpool Council, with the support of a £9m government grant while the construction was also awarded £40m from UK Government in 2023.