Blackpool World Class Resort Destination

LEP recognises the strategic importance of the Blackpool's Masterplan in acting as a driver for economic and social regeneration for the whole of the sub region.   As such, LEP is supporting a number of key activities within the Masterplan by engaging partners across Lancashire.  

In 2001 Blackpool Borough Council recognised that the resort was in decline and that urgent action was needed to rejuvenate the town to become a world-class resort for the 21st century. Success as a quality tourism destination would lead to an improved quality of life for those who live and work in the resort and complement the current regeneration of other areas within the town.

This meant:

• diversifying the local economy (encouraging office and manufacturing jobs)
• developing the retail and administrative role of the town centre
• confronting the enormous challenge of resort regeneration

A successful bid securing Economic Development Zone (EDZ) funding from the Government was crucial and a draft masterplan was unveiled to the public in 2003 in a massive consultation exercise that fed into the development of the Council’s Local Plan.

The Masterplan represents a 15-20 year programme of regeneration and development with an estimated price tag in the region of £1 Billion focusing on four key districts – the Pleasure Beach, the town centre, Central Beach and the Village – all of which are contained with in the EDZ. Key developments of the Masterplan include a world-class visitor attraction, a redesigned North Station, a new civic centre, a state of the art conference and entertainment centre and thousands of new parking space.

An Urban Regeneration Company,  ReBlackpool, has been set up to take forward the detailed implementation of the Masterplan.