Blackpool Council has set out a long-term plan to transform housing and neighbourhoods across Central Blackpool, where some of the poorest housing conditions in the country currently exist. The council’s ambition, set out in its Council Plan and Local Plan, is to make the inner area fit for modern living through significant and lasting change.
To support this, the government has awarded up to £90.4 million to improve housing quality and neighbourhood conditions. Investment will focus on tackling poor private landlords, demolishing unsafe or substandard homes and replacing them with high-quality housing, refurbishing properties to improve safety and energy efficiency, upgrading streets and pavements to create safe and attractive routes, and strengthening neighbourhood management through the council, housing associations and professional landlords.
These aims are brought together in the Blackpool Central Housing Regeneration Area Framework, which sets out a vision for a defined area of central Blackpool. Approved by the council’s executive in December 2024, the framework has been shaped by extensive community engagement, including surveys of residents and businesses and feedback gathered with the support of local groups. It is a live document, designed to evolve as regeneration progresses and as residents and stakeholders continue to share their views.
The regeneration area is made up of distinct character zones, including terraced streets, Central Drive, Foxhall and the Promenade. Each zone will be improved in a way that respects its character while addressing the clear need for change. The overall vision is to create a vibrant, sustainable neighbourhood that celebrates Blackpool’s heritage, provides quality homes for all, and reflects the priorities of the local community.
Green infrastructure is a key part of the framework. With limited parks and open spaces at present, plans aim to deliver a connected network of tree-lined streets, parks, squares and play areas, including a new linear park linking Park Road and Central Drive. Alongside this, improvements to movement and urban design will make the area safer and easier to navigate, with better walking, wheeling and cycling routes, improved links to the seafront and community facilities, and a new cycle lane along Central Drive.
Central Drive itself is identified as a future local centre. The framework sets out proposals to revitalise it as a lively hub for shops, cafés, community uses and homes, supported by better pavements, planting, seating and safer crossings. Together, these proposals form a spatial framework that guides future development, improves connections, delivers new community spaces and supports the creation of a healthier, more attractive Central Blackpool.
Last Modified 13 October 2025
Text source: Blackpool Council
Images by © Blackpool Council
