Levelling continues off Cookson Street for £65m Multiversity project

The landscape of Blackpool is continuing to change as a cordoned off area of Charles Street and Cookson Street is levelled off to make way for the town’s landmark £65 million Multiversity campus.

Heavy machinery such as diggers and a steamroller were on the site today (Tuesday, March 10), as contractors flatten the land which had previously been houses.

White railings and fencing currently border the site, which is bordered by Cookson Street (East side) Milbourne Street (North side) George Street (West side) and Charles Street (South side).

Traffic lights are currently in place at the junction of George Street and Cookson Street.

The ambitious project is part of the next major phase of the Talbot Gateway regeneration scheme, which includes the already constructed Fylde View building, which has brough almost 3,000 civil servants into the town centre.

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.

Once complete, the campus will offer more than 70 courses across further education, higher education and adult learning.

It is expected to bring up to 3,000 students and staff into the heart of Blackpool each day.

The latest developments follow demolition and clearance of Charles Street and surrounding roads, which began last year to prepare the site ahead of full construction.

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.