Blackburn skills campus move approved

Senior councillors have approved the appointment of Star Academies to occupy the first building of Blackburn’s proposed £45million town centre Skills and Education Campus.

The education trust will relocate its headquarters to the former Blackburn Market site and car park in Brown Street near The Mall.

The new development will be named Star Square and be at the heart of a revised town centre masterplan.

Star Academies, currently headquartered in the former Blakewater High School building in Shadsworth Road, runs 36 schools around the country.

They include the highly academically successful Tauheedul Islamic Boys and Girls Schools in Blackburn, plus Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School, The Olive School in Blackburn, and The Valley in Bacup.

The move was approved by Blackburn with Darwen Council’s ruling executive board when it met on Wednesday night.

The meeting also confirmed the education trust would pay the authority £10.3m for the new building when it is completed in 2028.

Star Academies – founded in Blackburn in 2010 – has been looking for a new location for its headquarter, possibly outside the borough, and previous plans for the University of Lancashire to anchor the project had foundered because of financial pressures.

Blackburn with Darwen Council leader Cllr Phil Riley told the meeting: “This is a wonderful Blackburn story.

“We are delighted to have Star’s new headquarters in Blackburn.

“This is a great local story.”

Growth boss Cllr Quesir Mahmood said the decision would enable the council and Star Academies to start their ‘journey of the future’ together.

Once complete, Star Academies’ new national headquarters will be located at 1 Star Square, aiming to form a focal point of knowledge, research, innovation and economic renewal in the town centre.

Star Academies is a founding trust of the National Institute of Teaching, aimed at raising standards in teacher training and professional development across the country.

Proposals include a 200-seat lecture theatre, training rooms, flexible workspaces, meeting rooms and recording studios.

Three additional buildings will complete the wider skills and education campus scheme.

Commencement of the main construction is scheduled for early 2027, with completion in 2028.

A report to the executive board by Cllr Mahmood said: “The visually impressive and inspirational campus buildings and nearly two acres of uplifting public realm and greenspace in a new urban ‘pocket-park’ will catalyse the follow on phases of the new Town Centre masterplan to unlock new public and private investment into the town centre regenerating over 15 acres of vacant, under-utilised land or outdated buildings

“The campus will significantly boost regular town centre footfall, directly and indirectly supporting new town centre employment across the commercial, leisure and retail sectors.

“Following positive discussions between the council and Star in relation to the overall vision for the new masterplan area, both parties wish to create an ambitious new area known for knowledge, innovation and creativity to attract public and private sector partners who want to be part of a hub for learning, research and innovation.

“The intention is therefore to relaunch, reposition and rebrand the wider campus as Star Square.

“The new building aims to create a modern, purpose-built headquarters that serves as a national hub for educational leadership, training, and professional development and help enable Star to fulfil its own growth plans and locate a new and significant presence within Blackburn town centre.”