Over the past week further demolition work has taken place in Blackpool as streets are being flattened to make way for the landmark £65 million Multiversity campus.
Contractors have now moved back on to Charles Street and Cookson Street, with properties being bulldozed as part of the next major phase of the Talbot Gateway regeneration scheme.
The week before saw buildings on George Street being dismantled in readiness for later full-on demolition.
The Multiversity project, led by Blackpool and The Fylde College in partnership with Blackpool Council, is backed by government funding and is designed to transform a large section of the town centre into a modern, high-tech learning hub.
This new facility will offer more than 70 courses across further education, higher education and adult learning and is expected to bring up to 3,000 students and staff into the heart of Blackpool each day.
The Multiversity will be built on land around Cookson Street and forms a central part of the wider Talbot Gateway Project – a £350 million scheme centred around Blackpool North station that aims to bring more jobs, footfall and investment into the town centre.
Construction firm Morgan Sindall has been appointed to deliver the build and has previously confirmed that the majority of demolition materials will be recycled, with around 95 per cent diverted from landfill.
Alongside demolition, a series of traffic and pedestrian improvements are planned in the area, including road layout changes, new crossings and junction upgrades to support increased activity once the campus opens.
Main construction is expected to begin once demolition and site clearance are complete, with the Multiversity due to open in late 2027.
Alun Francis, Chief Executive of Blackpool & The Fylde College, said: “It’s really exciting to see the preparatory works for the Multiversity getting underway.”
“This project will regenerate a strategically important part of Blackpool town centre – and it will also launch a new model for delivering more flexible higher education that is better aligned to ‘real world’ market intelligence and student demand.
“The Multiversity will ultimately provide a range of new routes for learners that will boost local opportunities, social mobility and lead to highly skilled occupations that meet regional needs.”
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