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Blackpool Town Centre Strategy March 2013

Blackpool Town Centre Strategy · Blackpool Town Centre Strategy Contents ... to create a unique town centre experience unavailable ... creating a Central Business District and creative

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Blackpool Town Centre StrategyMarch 2013

This version Published March 2013 by Blackpool Council.

© 2013 Blackpool Council. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, copied or transmitted without the prior written consent of the publisher except that the material may be photocopied for non-commercial purposes without permission from the publisher.

Printed by Blackpool Council on recycled paper.

Visit Blackpool Council at http://www.blackpool.gov.uk/

Page 1 of 34

Blackpool Town Centre Strategy

Contents

Introduction

The need for a Town Centre Strategy

Vision & Objectives

Wider Town Centre Policy Context

Town Centre Map

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4

6

8

Blackpool Town Centre Today

Catchment, Visitor Profile and Performance

Retail and Service Provision

Leisure, Entertainment, Culture and Business Tourism

Office Space and Housing

Quality of the Environment

Access and Movement

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Priorities for Intervention

Priority Themes 1-6 20

Appendices

Five-year Action Plan

Risk Register

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Blackpool Town Centre Strategy

Part 1 - Introduction

This Town Centre Strategy:

■ Outlines a vision for Blackpool Town Centre in 15 years time, supported by six key objectives

■ Describes the town centre today and opportunities for change

■ Identifies priorities for improvement and management of the town centre in line with the six objectives

■ Develops a five-year action plan with delivery mechanisms

Key Aims of the Strategy

■ Improve business confidence and encourage quality investment from private and public sectors

■ Inform future decision making and co-ordinate town centre initiatives to achieve complementary improvements

■ Assist with town centre promotion and marketing

The need for a Town Centre Strategy

The importance of Blackpool Town Centre to the successful regeneration of the resort and the economic prosperity of the Fylde Coast cannot be overstated.

The town centre has a pivotal role to play in driving the local economy and providing over 300,000 residents within Blackpool and the wider Fylde Coast a thriving sub-regional centre which meets their needs in terms of retail, business, social and cultural activities.

Over 6,000 people are employed within the town centre and it generates a non-food retail goods turnover of around £316 million from residents of the catchment area. It is a key part of the resort, with the iconic landmarks of Blackpool Tower and Winter Gardens and a host of shops, cafés, restaurants and bars catering for residents and visitors.

However, the town centre’s influence and status, like the wider resort, has declined as it struggles to compete with alternative retail and leisure attractions, a competitive conferencing market and the increasing influence of competing centres outside the Fylde Coast.

Recent investment in the Houndshill Shopping Centre demonstrates that high quality investment does increase footfall and turnover and stimulate the visitor experience. With commitment for sustained improvement through further investment in Blackpool Tower, the Winter Gardens and the Promenade it is hoped that visitor numbers will further increase.

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Blackpool Town Centre Strategy

If we are to successfully position Blackpool Town Centre as the first choice shopping destination for Fylde Coast residents and an attractive place to visit and do business, the town centre needs to carve out a high quality retail offer and combine this with a wider positive leisure, cultural and social experience during the day and into the evening.

Exploiting key assets within the town centre – heritage, coastal frontage and popular tourist attractions - and aligning these with new innovative developments can help define a distinguishing offer and achieve an attractive, thriving town centre.

This approach to making town centres a diverse multifunctional destination for shopping, socialising, creativity, working, living and learning is at the heart of The Portas Review (2011). Blackpool is well positioned to create a unique town centre experience unavailable anywhere else.

To achieve this, we need a strategy that will provide a clear direction for the town centre and co-ordinate planning and management activities. This will help deliver positive change and provide a catalyst for further investment.

As acknowledged in The Portas Review, the public sector alone cannot create vibrant town centres; there is also a role that landlords, retailers and businesses must play. Therefore, we need a strong town centre partnership approach to deliver the strategy.

Town Centre Partnership Approach

There are a diverse range of public and private sector bodies which have a stake in the future of Blackpool Town Centre. Whilst Blackpool Council has a key responsibility to enable and manage change, private landowners own the majority of town centre sites and premises and have a responsibility as long-term investors.

A co-ordinated and comprehensive approach to the improvement of the town centre can only be achieved by a strong town centre partnership approach - led by Blackpool Council, supported by investment agencies and working together with private landowners, local businesses, service providers, developers and all other stakeholders.

Town centre partnerships are already established in Blackpool Town Centre, including the Town Centre BID (Business Improvement District) and the more recently formed Town Team. Crucially we need to grow and develop these partnerships effectively if we are to successfully collaborate on implementing the Town Centre Strategy.

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Blackpool Town Centre Strategy

Vision

If Blackpool Town Centre is to become an attractive, thriving centre it must have a very clear vision of what it wants to achieve:

In 2027, Blackpool Town Centre is the thriving heart of Britain’s favourite resort, offering an all year-round high quality shopping, leisure, cultural and entertainment destination.

Residents and visitors from all walks of life choose to spend time here throughout the day and into the evening.

The revitalised Tower and Winter Gardens are major attractions along with an exciting programme of events and festivals.

Blackpool hosts a vibrant outdoor café culture, with attractive streets and spaces providing high quality public realm and strong links between the town centre and the beach.

A high quality integrated transport system allows easy access to the town centre and provides a positive arrival experience.

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Blackpool Town Centre Strategy

Objectives

Our vision for Blackpool Town Centre is supported by six objectives:

Objective 1

Re-establish the town centre as the first choice shopping destination for Fylde Coast residents.

Objective 2

Strengthen the town centre as a vibrant leisure, entertainment, cultural and business tourism destination for residents and visitors.

Objective 3

Grow the town centre as a place to do business by creating a Central Business District and creative industries hub.

Objective 4

Create a choice of high quality homes within and around the town centre.

Objective 5

Improve the quality of buildings, streets and spaces and their maintenance and management.

Objective 6

Provide convenient access to the town centre by all modes of travel and enable easier pedestrian movement.

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Blackpool Town Centre Strategy

Wider Town Centre Policy Context

The policy framework

The Town Centre Strategy aligns with the following Council plans and strategies:

Blackpool Planning Policy Framework1

■ Blackpool Local Plan 2001-16 (2006)

■ Blackpool Core Strategy 2012-27 (being prepared)

■ Talbot Gateway Planning Brief SPD (2006)

■ Former Central Station (Leisure Quarter) site Development Brief SPD (2011)

Blackpool Local Transport Plan 2011-16 (2011)

The Strategy has also been informed by:

National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) (2012)

Planning for Town Centres Practice Guide (2009)

North West Regional Spatial Strategy (expected to be abolished imminently)

Fylde Coast Retail Study (2011)

Blackpool Town Centre studies:

■ Town Centre Health Check (2011)

■ Business Appraisal (2009)

■ Retail and Business Strategy Framework (2008)

■ Public Realm Framework (2008)

The Portas Review (2011)

1 It is a non-statutory document and does not directly form part of the Council’s Planning Policy Framework.

What the policies say

To support resort regeneration, the town centre is identified as a key focus for future economic growth, development and investment, in order to address past decline and successfully position it as the first choice shopping destination for Fylde Coast residents and an attractive place to visit and do business.

The emerging Core Strategy2 defines the town centre boundary and a principal retail core which includes the main shopping streets and the majority of large multiple retailers (see Figure 1). It identifies the town centre as the focus for major new retail development in the Borough, and contains a number of planning policies supporting town centre development which:

■ Strengthens the retail offer, with the principal retail core being the main focus for major retail development

■ Introduces quality cafes and restaurants

■ Enhances the quality of buildings, streets and open spaces and connects the different areas of the town centre to improve pedestrian movement

■ Utilises key heritage assets and complements these with new innovative development

■ Grows an office sector

■ Improves access to the town centre

■ Introduces quality homes in the long term

Policies support Council assistance in site assembly where required to facilitate major redevelopment.

2 A key planning document for Blackpool currently being prepared and expected to be adopted in 2013.

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Blackpool Town Centre Strategy

Three key town centre sites are identified in the Core Strategy: the Central Business District, Winter Gardens and former Central Station site (see Figure 1). Developing each of these sites will help to transform the role and status of the town centre and adjoining resort core.

Saved policies SR6 and SR7 in the Blackpool Local Plan 2001-16 identify a retail / cafe zone and a mixed-use zone, which contain more diverse uses such as small, independent and specialist retail, professional services, civic, leisure and cultural facilities.

Saved policy SR8 identifies the Promenade frontage between Springfield Road and New Bonny Street as a leisure zone. This area will continue to be promoted as the main town centre location for visitor attractions, leisure retail and drinking establishments. Comprehensive enhancement and redevelopment which introduces quality buildings and higher-end leisure uses will be supported.

Figure 1 illustrates the town centre boundary and the distinctive areas and key sites contained within it, as identified above.

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Reproduced from Ordnance Survey mapping with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office © Crown copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Blackpool Borough Council Licence No. 100019178. 2012.

Scale: NTS

Figure 1: Distinctive areas and key sites within Blackpool Town Centre as identified in planning policy

Principal Retail Core

The principal retail core contains the main shopping streets of Church Street, Victoria Street, Bank Hey Street and the Houndshill Shopping Centre. Marks and Spencer, Debenhams, Primark and BHS are the anchor stores that create the highest footfall and a strong draw for shoppers.

Winter Gardens

The Council purchased the Winter Gardens in 2010 and is actively looking to secure medium-long term investment to facilitate major refurbishment and re-establish the complex as a multi-purpose, year round entertainment, leisure and conference venue in the heart of the town centre.

Central Business District (CBD)

The CBD is an important site for a new gateway development in the north-east of the town centre. Redevelopment and enhancement of the area will create an attractive commercial hub and welcoming arrival experience, anchored by new Council offices, Blackpool North railway station and a major new food store. Blackpool Council is currently working in partnership with Muse to deliver Phase 1 of the CBD.

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Promenade Frontage (Leisure Zone)

This Promenade stretch includes the iconic Blackpool Tower at the heart of Blackpool’s Golden Mile and is a key gateway to the town centre from the seafront. Leisure uses are dominant, although these are mostly low-end seasonal and transient uses, which create a negative image and discourage visitors entering the town centre from the seafront.

Former Central Station site

The Council is promoting comprehensive redevelopment of this site for major leisure development of national significance, which would broaden the resort appeal and provide a compelling new reason to visit Blackpool.

Retail / Café Zone and Mixed Use Zone

This area houses an eclectic mix of small retail shops, professional services, civic and cultural activities and a growing café culture around Cedar Square and Birley Street.

St John’s Square has been remodelled to create an attractive public space for hosting events and festivals; and is centrally located to connect surrounding streets including Topping Street, Edward Street and the top end of Church Street, which have grown as a small business hub.

Key buildings include the Town Hall, Central Library, Grundy Art Gallery, St John’s Church, Abingdon Street Market and the Post Office.

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Blackpool Town Centre Strategy

Part 2 - Blackpool Town Centre TodayThis section identifies town centre issues alongside strengths and opportunities for improvement.

Catchment, Visitor Profile and Performance

Issues

■ Whilst the town centre has a large Fylde Coast catchment it struggles to convert residents into shoppers, retaining only 33% of non-food retail expenditure from its catchment1. This is a slight improvement from 29% in 2008 with the opening of the Houndshill Shopping Centre extension, but remains extremely low for a sub-regional centre.

■ Blackpool’s shopper profile lacks affluent families and young professionals who are drawn to out-of-centre retail parks and competing shopping destinations outside the Fylde Coast.

■ Whilst town centre spend is supplemented by resort visitors this is highly seasonal and has been reduced by the loss of business tourism.

■ Blackpool’s nightlife attracts a dominant youth, alcohol-led and price conscious market. Drunkenness and anti-social behaviour has become a deterrent to a wide cross section of visitors and residents.

■ Zone A rents2 averaged £115 per square feet in 2009; and remain the lowest when compared to nearby towns such as Preston and Blackburn.

■ Whilst footfall may have increased, expenditure has not done so in a similar manner. The annual non-food retail goods expenditure from residents of the catchment is around £316 million, with a low sales density of £4,879 per square metre sales. Retail units are under-trading and there is an oversupply of poor quality floor space.

1 Rounded figure (2010). In 1998 this was 43% (rounded), representing a fall of 10% in 12 years

2 “Zone A” is the first 20 feet from the shop window and considered the most valuable space

Strengths and Opportunities

■ Part of what makes the town centre unique is the provision for tourists within its core, boosting non-food retail expenditure by an estimated £75 million per annum (on top of an estimated £316 million from residents of the catchment). Tourism expenditure would support a stronger representation of personal and leisure goods retailers and catering operators.

■ The town centre must claw back current expenditure leakage from its Fylde Coast catchment and increase retention figures. A modest increase in market share would support additional comparison goods floor space of 14,000 square metres (sq.m.) net by 2021; and a further 15,500 sq.m. net by 20263.

Threats

■ Unless the town centre offer is made more attractive, retail expenditure from the catchment will continue to be captured by competing destinations, undermining regeneration efforts in the town.

■ The town centre is vulnerable to competing out-of-centre provision; and it will be important for the Council to control additional floor space and types of retail in out-of-centre locations, to protect the vitality and viability of the town centre.

■ Current trends in supermarket, out-of-centre and on-line shopping are expected to leave traditional town centres fighting for a shrinking share of retail expenditure.

3 Rounded net figures (2011) calculated on basis of 75% of gross figures. This is over and above the existing planning approval at the Central Business District

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Blackpool Town Centre Strategy

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Figure 2. Current town centre catchment area (Fylde Coast Retail Study, Roger Tym and Partners 2011)

Page 12 of 34

Blackpool Town Centre Strategy

Retail and Service Provision

Issues

■ Retail and service provision is focused towards the middle and lower-end of the retail spectrum and does not provide the quality or range necessary to attract Fylde Coast residents. The town centre needs a stronger representation of higher-end national and independent retailers and a more diverse range of fashion clothing and footwear, leisure, personal and household goods.

■ The introduction of a new Sainsbury’s food store due to open in 2014 means there is no overall need for further convenience goods floor space.

■ The traditional indoor market on Abingdon Street sells middle to low-end goods without delivering the wider appeal that other markets across Lancashire have developed.

■ In November 2012 the town centre vacancy rate was 18% and 14.5% in the Principal Retail Core1. Whilst vacancies have fallen since 2009, many recently occupied vacant units in the retail core have been taken up by discount retailers and charity shops, reducing the quality of the offer.

■ Apart from Houndshill, retail units do not generally meet modern occupier requirements in terms of unit floor space and flexibility, with many retailers under-spaced in comparison to their national average store size.

■ Church Street provides a key link between the Seafront and the Winter Gardens. The decline of buildings and loss of retailers along here is of particular concern.

■ Peripheral streets lack critical retail mass. Units are generally small, in poor condition and lack drawing power. Many are vacant, suggesting that Blackpool should consolidate the retail core.

■ Early evening shopping is limited, with the Houndshill closing its doors at 6pm. Blackpool’s nightlife may be a barrier to this.

1 Rounded figures obtained from the Council’s own vacancy survey. The town centre figure is somewhat higher than the UK average in October 2012 (11.3%).

Strengths and Opportunities

■ Key development sites present opportunities to enhance convenience and comparison retail and service provision and complement qualitative improvements to the existing retail stock. It will be important to ensure this new provision does not undermine the existing town centre offer.

■ Phase 1 of Central Business District will introduce a major Sainsbury’s food store providing 5,400 sq.m. of net retail floor space, and retail units on the ground floor of the Council office building and Talbot Road multi-storey car park providing 3,100 sq.m of net non-food retail floor space. Further complementary retail space is planned for future phases.

■ Phase 1 development of the Houndshill has strengthened Blackpool’s retail core by attracting new national retailers and providing a quality shopping environment. The Tower Street block (phase 2) and the south-west block bounded by Adelaide Street West, Bank Hey Street and Albert Road (phase 3) each have potential capacity for 3,000 sq.m. of net retail floor space.

■ The Winter Gardens has potential capacity for 5,000 sq.m. of net retail floor space, subject to how this would support a future business model.

Threats

■ The significant number of empty shops in the town centre suggests a symptom of deeper issues in the retail industry than just the current recession or recent relocations into Houndshill Shopping Centre.

■ Blackpool has a 47% higher concentration of financially ‘unhealthy’ retailers than similar towns. This suggests more closures and prolonged difficulties in filling vacant premises.

■ Investor and developer confidence in Blackpool is limited unless it is supported by large levels of public sector pump priming.

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Blackpool Town Centre Strategy

Figure 3. Principal Retail Core

Church Street

Victoria Street

Bank Hey Street

Houndshill Shopping Centre

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Blackpool Town Centre Strategy

Leisure, Entertainment, Culture and Business Tourism

Issues

■ The Winter Gardens has suffered from a lack of investment with significant levels of under-used floor space. Once a major conferencing venue, it is struggling to compete with larger, more modern venues in the major cities.

■ Both the Grand Theatre and Blackpool Tower have experienced a reduction in visitor numbers in recent years.

■ The Grundy Art Gallery stages popular exhibitions and the adjoining Central Library has recently undergone a £3m refurbishment, although both are peripheral to the main shopping area.

■ Many day-trip visitors to the illuminations choose not to venture beyond the Promenade. To capture their spending potential, there is a need to draw visitors into the town centre.

■ An over-supply of older hotels and guest houses are prevalent on the edge of the town centre, with the majority offering budget accommodation. There are limited hotels within the defined town centre boundary.

■ Whilst there is a healthy representation of restaurants, cafés, coffee bars and takeaways, there is a notable absence of quality dining experiences and family-orientated national chains. The introduction of Heathcotes, Nandos and Pizza Express is starting to address this gap.

■ The evening/night-time economy is based on a heavy drinking culture, which is a deterrent to many visitors and residents. There needs to be a shift towards more family-orientated evening activities, particularly within and adjacent to the principal retail core.

■ The town centre lacks some of the large entertainment uses to draw visitors in, including a cinema and ten pin bowling facility.

Strengths and Opportunities

■ In 2010 Blackpool Council secured European and Government funding to purchase Blackpool Tower and the Winter Gardens. Now in the Council’s ownership, we are able to secure investment and control future uses.

■ There has been considerable investment in the Winter Gardens since 2010, including improvements to public areas and the introduction of two quality Heathcotes dining experiences. In the medium-long term the complex offers opportunities to improve conferencing facilities and locate year-round leisure uses and cultural activity in the heart of the town centre.

■ Merlin Entertainments are managing the operations of new attractions at Blackpool Tower, which is currently undergoing a major development programme of restoration and refurbishment to bring it into the 21st century and increase visitor numbers.

■ The former Central Station site has the potential to deliver a new major leisure development as iconic as Blackpool Tower and the Winter Gardens.

■ Key sites provide opportunities for new, quality leisure development, including national hotel and restaurant chains, within and on the edge of the town centre.

■ Annual events such as the Illuminations, Showzam, Dance Festival, Airshow and Firework Championships highlight the potential that events and festivals provide for increasing town centre footfall and expenditure. St John’s Square and the Tower Festival Headland (on the Promenade on the edge of the town centre) present further opportunities for outdoor events and festivals.

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Blackpool Town Centre Strategy

Office Space

Issues

■ The town centre is an important administration centre but is not an established office location, with the market heavily out-of-centre based. It currently does not offer the right opportunities to attract new offices into the town centre.

■ The majority of office employment is government and public sector based; with Blackpool Council accounting for over 75% of office workforce in the town.

Strengths and Opportunities

■ Some success has been achieved in nurturing small businesses in dedicated creative industry space at FYCreatives and Eighty-one Central on Church Street. There is an opportunity to build on this by developing alternative new business start-up space and providing advice and training.

■ The relocation of Council satellite offices into Central Business District will bring over 900 workers into the town centre. Together with further office space planned for future phases, this development could provide the foundation to attract new offices into the town centre.

Housing

Issues

■ Few people live within the town centre boundary, and those that do largely occupy poor quality, rented accommodation.

■ Until the town centre offer improves there are no incentives for developers, or those in search of quality accommodation, to look to the town centre.

■ There is a need to balance the residential offer across Blackpool and provide better quality housing in the inner area which would contribute towards town centre regeneration.

Strengths and Opportunities

■ Up to 400 new, high quality, aspirational homes are planned to be built in the Tyldesley Road / Rigby Road area, south of the town centre and within walking distance. This would help to attract people with higher disposable incomes into the primary town centre catchment area.

■ In the long term, once the town centre has begun to re-establish itself as a thriving sub-regional centre and a renowned cultural, leisure and business destination, this will help to create a demand for high quality homes within the town centre, including the conversion of vacant upper floor accommodation.

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Blackpool Town Centre Strategy

Quality of the Environment

Issues

■ The town centre’s environmental quality is mixed. St John’s Square and surrounding streets have benefitted from recent public realm investment and Houndshill provides a pleasant shopping environment, however there are still many areas which are run down and unattractive, with Bank Hey Street in particular need of attention.

■ Successive waves of public realm investment has created confusion about Blackpool’s identity, with inconsistent colour schemes and design styles.

■ There are limited trees and no green spaces in the town centre, largely as a result of Blackpool’s difficult micro-climate.

■ With the exception of shopfront improvements through the Townscape Heritage Initiative, many streets are plagued by poor quality, badly maintained shops at ground floor and upper floors, particularly those which have fallen vacant.

■ Drinking venues within, and adjacent to, the retail core conflict with family based shopping activity. Shoppers have little desire to venture far beyond the Houndshill Shopping Centre.

■ The dilapidated nature of many seafront shops and gateway buildings portray a tired image and do not encourage visitors to venture into the town centre.

■ Many streets are exposed to the seafront and the elements, discouraging movement along them.

Strengths and Opportunities

■ The town centre is rich in heritage, boasting landmark buildings which provide positive focal points and a conservation area.

■ Public realm improvements along Birley Street, Church Street and Abingdon Street encourage increased footfall and support a vibrant outdoor cafe culture.

■ The pedestrianisation of St John’s Square has created an attractive public space in the heart of the town centre. A Townscape Heritage Initiative has introduced quality shopfronts and a cafe culture has emerged, complementing this space. The development of an events programme at St Johns Square will help to create a vibrant space.

■ Major investment to rebuild 3km of the seafront providing coastal protection and environmental enhancement was completed in 2012. This has significantly improved the quality of public space and links between the town centre and seafront. There is an opportunity for the town centre to capitalise on the anticipated increase in footfall and to secure investment in town centre buildings along the Promenade.

■ Proactive management and maintenance of the town centre will be critical, particularly in making the most of the new public spaces.

Threats

■ Without additional intervention, recent public realm investment is unlikely to change current perceptions of the town centre and improve the commercial performance of occupiers or the quality of the building stock.

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Blackpool Town Centre Strategy

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Figure 4. Town centre buildings and public realm

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Reproduced from Ordnance Survey mapping with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office © Crown copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Blackpool Borough Council Licence No. 100019178. 2012.

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Blackpool Town Centre Strategy

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Figure 5. Key vehicular and pedestrian routes into, and within, the town centre

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Reproduced from Ordnance Survey mapping with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office © Crown copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Blackpool Borough Council Licence No. 100019178. 2012.

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Blackpool Town Centre Strategy

Access and Movement

Issues

■ The town centre needs to achieve a more cohesive pedestrian layout with identified routes to key shopping streets and an obvious retail circuit which is easier to navigate.

■ Measures are needed to encourage and enhance movement between the Principal Retail Core, Winter Gardens, Blackpool Tower and Central Business District as the key investment sites.

■ Signage is often badly positioned, inconsistent and poorly maintained. Road signs are confusing, advanced directional signage for parking needs improvement, and pedestrian signs are difficult to spot, unreliable and lacking in quantity.

■ Blackpool lacks quality information boards to encourage visitors to move around on foot and to assist them to find key places of interest.

■ The arrival experience onto Talbot Road from Blackpool North railway station is poor.

■ A significant proportion of existing car parking is provided by extensive areas of surface car parks, which have been established in a piecemeal manner and some of which are only temporary.

■ Crime and fear of crime deter people coming into the town centre in the evenings and from using peripheral car parks and Talbot Road multi storey.

■ Town centre car parks are pay and display which do not provide the same flexibility as pay on foot, are difficult to use with limited payment methods, and central car parks close overnight.

■ Some bus services don’t penetrate the retail core due to stops relocating from Corporation Street and St John’s Square, and buses terminating in Talbot Road. There is no bus priority system and a reduced service provision in the evenings.

■ Coach reception facilities are poor and include a temporary facility on New Bonny Street.

■ Whilst the introduction of cycle lanes and hire cycles in the town centre has aimed to improve cycle access, there is generally a lack of cycle parking.

Strengths and Opportunities

■ A Signage Strategy has been completed and a Wayfinding Strategy is being developed, which will ensure future programmed improvements to traffic and pedestrian signing are targeted to optimum effect.

■ The Central Business District redevelopment presents opportunities to enhance the arrival experience from Blackpool North railway station; improve links between Talbot Road and the wider town centre; and remodel and refurbish existing car parks to create more attractive, efficient and user friendly parking facilities.

■ A Parking Strategy is being developed which will seek to make the most efficient and effective use of Blackpool’s existing parking resources, including future management.

■ Actual and perceived barriers between the town centre and seafront have been addressed by remodelling the Promenade to make it more pedestrian friendly and opening up Blackpool Tower between the Promenade and Bank Hey Street.

■ Upgrading the Blackpool-Fleetwood tramway has provided Fylde Coast residents with a quality, frequent and convenient public transport option into the town centre. There is an opportunity to promote this mode of travel to maximise its usage; and improve integration with other modes of travel, including extending the tramway to Blackpool North train station.

■ Development of the former Central Station site presents an opportunity to consider a long term solution for coach facilities.

■ Network Rail has committed to electrify the line between Blackpool North and Manchester, which would allow faster, more frequent trains and the potential to establish a direct line between Blackpool North and other major cities including London and Glasgow.

Page 20 of 34

Blackpool Town Centre Strategy

Part 3 - Priorities for InterventionThis section identifies priority measures to address the issues identified in Part 2. The priorities are arranged into six themes which are colour coded to match the six key objectives.

Re-establish the town centre as the first choice shopping destination for Fylde Coast residents

A vibrant leisure, entertainment, cultural and business tourism destination for residents and visitors

We will achieve objective 1 by focusing on a strong retail offer in the town centre retail core...

■ Encouraging new core retail operators to expand the retail offer and improve quality, particularly in clothing and footwear, convenience, leisure, personal and household goods categories

■ Retaining and supporting existing retailers

■ Reducing vacancy levels and the number of units occupied by discount retailers and charity shops on short-term leases by creating more attractive retail space

■ Further phased development and enhancement of the Houndshill Shopping Centre

■ Developing a complementary retail offer at the Central Business District and in the Winter Gardens (subject to this supporting the business model)

■ Developing specialist markets at St Johns Square to broaden the retail offer

We will achieve objective 2 by enhancing existing attractions and creating new reasons to visit...

■ Enhancing key town centre venues including the Winter Gardens, Blackpool Tower complex and Grand Theatre as year-round, family orientated leisure, entertainment and cultural venues

■ Developing an enhanced conference and business tourism offer

■ Encouraging national chain restaurants, cafes and coffee bars within or adjacent to the main shopping streets to increase shopper dwell time

■ Extending the events and festivals programme in newly created public spaces

■ Developing new illuminations concepts that encourage linked trips into the town centre

■ Co-ordinating activity to develop the town centre evening economy

■ Developing a high quality hotel offer

■ Continuing to work with interested developer(s) to secure major leisure development on the Former Central Station site

■ Securing major leisure uses e.g. town centre cinema

Page 21 of 34

Blackpool Town Centre Strategy

Grow the town centre as a place to do business by creating a central business district and creative industries hub

A choice of quality homes within and around the town centre

We will achieve objective 3 by...

■ Relocating the Council’s satellite offices to the Central Business District, which will grow the town centre based public sector workforce and provide an anchor for future office development

■ Encouraging and promoting speculative office development within the Central Business District

■ Providing additional accommodation within the town centre to attract and retain starter businesses

■ Identifying wider requirements for business/office floor space to ensure that town centre accommodation remains available

■ Exploring with Government and other public sector agencies any opportunity to relocate offices and employment in the town centre

■ Relocating the Police and Law Courts to enable comprehensive redevelopment of the former Central Station site

We will achieve objective 4 by...

■ Ensuring that new residential accommodation created through conversion or sub-division of properties is of a high quality

■ Supporting new residential development on the edge of the town centre and within inner Blackpool which contributes to wider resort and town centre regeneration

In the longer term once the town centre offer improves...

■ Encouraging new residential development within the town centre, including the use of upper floors for residential use

Page 22 of 34

Blackpool Town Centre Strategy

Improve the quality of buildings, streets and spaces and their maintenance and management

Provide convenient access to the town centre by all modes of travel and enable easier pedestrian movement

We will achieve objective 5 by focusing on the main shopping streets...

■ Streetscape improvements along Bank Hey Street, Victoria Street and Adelaide Street West including consistent public realm branding and street cleanliness

■ Improvements to buildings and shopfronts to complement public realm investment and the refurbishment of key buildings

■ Improving external frontages of the Houndshill Shopping Centre and improve integration with adjacent shopping streets

■ Encouraging high quality development on key vacant sites e.g. the former Yates’s site and Post Office building

■ Continuing to monitor drinking venues and reducing conflict between drinking venues and shopping streets; and improving night-time security and public order

■ Improving the Promenade building frontage and other town centre gateway buildings

■ Improving the arrival experience at Blackpool North onto Talbot Road

We will achieve objective 6 by focusing on key arrival points and pedestrian routes...

■ Improving navigation into and around the town centre and resort for motorists and pedestrians with better signage and information boards

■ Improving and remodelling the highway network at Central Business District

■ Improving bus routing and infrastructure

■ Continuing to strengthen connections between the town centre and seafront

■ Completing a town centre parking strategy and reviewing existing parking facilities, including access and management arrangements

■ Refurbishing Talbot Road multi-storey car park and resurfacing Banks Street car park

■ Considering long term car and coach parking solutions when redeveloping the former Central Station site

■ Developing the upgraded Blackpool-Fleetwood tramway further to improve integration with other modes of travel and maximise its usage

■ Electrification of the line between Blackpool North and Manchester

Page 23 of 34

Blackpool Town Centre Strategy

Appendix 1

Town Centre Action Plan

This section outlines a Five-year Action Plan to deliver the priorities identified in Part 3 of the Town Centre Strategy. Those actions marked with a ‘P’ in the first column are considered an immediate priority to be progressed over the next 6 months.

The first column is colour coded to identify which of the six objectives (and priority themes) are being met:

Key Objective

Re-establish the town centre as the first choice shopping destination for Fylde Coast residents

A vibrant leisure, entertainment, cultural and business tourism destination for residents and visitors

Grow the town centre as a place to do business by creating a central business district and creative industries hub

A choice of quality homes within and around the town centre

Improve the quality of buildings, streets and spaces and their management and maintenance

Provide convenient access to the town centre by all modes of travel and enable easier pedestrian movement

The third column identifies what has been achieved over the last eighteen months, since June 2011 when the action plan was first drafted. The fourth column identifies key officers and stakeholders involved in implementing the action, including individuals and groups. The fifth column outlines an estimated timescale.

The Action Plan is a working document and will be monitored and updated on a regular basis by the Town Centre Steering Group, who will meet on a quarterly basis and comprise of the following officers:

John Donnellon (Lead Officer / Chair)

Rob Green

Philip Welsh

Steven Waterfield

Jane Saleh

Paolo Pertica

Peter Cross

Natalie Wyatt

Where separate working groups or project groups are identified in the Action Plan, these will operate as delivery arms of the Steering Group.

Page 24 of 34

Acti

onA

chie

vem

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to d

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ehol

ders

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esca

le

Part

1: B

uild

ings

and

Use

s

1.1

P

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wor

king

gro

up to

focu

s on

bui

ldin

gs in

Chu

rch

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et, V

icto

ria

St &

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k H

ey S

t:

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evel

op in

telli

genc

e on

vac

anci

es, t

rend

s an

d sh

ort-

term

leas

ehol

ders

and

con

tinue

re

gula

r m

onito

ring

■Se

t up

a da

taba

se o

f ow

ners

, occ

upie

rs a

nd a

gent

s of

reta

ined

pre

mis

es

■Es

tabl

ish

a di

alog

ue w

ith o

wne

rs /

age

nts

of v

acan

t pre

mis

es to

impr

ove

thei

r ap

pear

ance

(e.g

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p ae

sthe

tic m

easu

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iden

tify

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rm s

oluti

ons

to

redu

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acan

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rs /

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with

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Page 25 of 34

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Nat

alie

Wya

ttSt

ay B

lack

pool

, ho

telie

rs

Ong

oing

Page 26 of 34

Acti

onA

chie

vem

ent

to d

ate

Stak

ehol

ders

Tim

esca

le

1.10

Supp

ort a

redu

ction

in h

olid

ay a

ccom

mod

ation

in a

ppro

pria

te lo

catio

ns o

n th

e ed

ge

of th

e to

wn

cent

re to

elim

inat

e po

or q

ualit

y st

ock

(in a

ccor

danc

e w

ith th

e H

olid

ay

Acc

omm

odati

on S

PD a

dopt

ed M

arch

201

1)

■17

plg

app

s ap

prov

ed fo

r CO

U

to re

side

ntial

on

the

edge

of

the

tow

n ce

ntre

sin

ce 2

011

J Sal

eh, G

John

ston

Prop

erty

ow

ners

, ho

telie

rs

Ong

oing

1.11

Supp

ort q

ualit

y re

side

ntial

flat

con

vers

ions

in u

pper

floo

rs in

app

ropr

iate

tow

n ce

ntre

are

as

whi

ch m

eet t

he N

ew H

omes

from

Old

Pla

ces

SPD

(unl

ess

they

are

per

mitt

ed d

evel

opm

ent –

ne

w p

d rig

hts

intr

oduc

ed O

ct ’1

2 pr

ovid

es m

ore

scop

e to

cha

nge

use

with

out p

p)

■D

ialo

gue

ongo

ing

G Jo

hnst

on, J

Sal

ehTi

m C

ogla

nO

ngoi

ng

1.12

Drin

king

ven

ues

-

■Ex

plor

e a

mar

ketin

g st

rate

gy to

enc

oura

ge a

cha

nge

in d

rink

ing

patt

erns

■Co

ntinu

e to

revi

ew li

cens

ing

of e

xisti

ng v

enue

s an

d co

nsid

er in

trod

ucin

g Ea

rly

Mor

ning

Res

tric

tion

Ord

ers

(EM

ROs)

and

Lat

e N

ight

Lev

ys (L

NL)

■Co

ntinu

e to

exe

rcis

e st

rict

lice

nsin

g an

d pl

anni

ng c

ontr

ol o

ver

the

crea

tion

of n

ew

drin

king

ven

ues

outs

ide

the

‘Lei

sure

Zon

e’

■W

orki

ng g

roup

to e

xplo

re

mar

ketin

g st

rate

gy

■Re

gs fo

r EM

ROs

and

LNL

cam

e in

to fo

rce

Oct

’12

& c

onsi

dere

d at

the

Nov

’12

Lice

nsin

g Co

mm

ittee

Mar

k M

arsh

all

G Jo

hnst

on,

T Co

glan

, J S

aleh

, To

wn

Cent

re B

ID,

Lanc

ashi

re P

olic

e,

land

lord

s

Ong

oing

1.13

Mon

itor t

he lo

catio

n of

con

trov

ersi

al u

ses

in th

e to

wn

cent

re a

nd w

ork

with

land

lord

s to

en

cour

age

mor

e ap

prop

riate

use

s ■

Initi

al w

ork

to c

onsi

der

reso

urce

impl

icati

ons

Mar

k M

arsh

all

Land

lord

sG

John

ston

Dep

ende

nt

on fu

ndin

g

1.14

Prep

are

new

des

ign

guid

ance

on

shop

fron

ts in

clud

ing

the

intr

oduc

tion

and

rete

ntion

of

shop

fron

t can

opie

sJa

ne S

aleh

Gar

y Jo

hnst

on

2013

1.15

Pro-

activ

e en

gage

men

t with

ow

ners

to p

rom

ote

upgr

adin

g th

e Pr

omen

ade

build

ing

fron

tage

, an

d co

nsid

er a

targ

eted

enf

orce

men

t pro

gram

me

of a

ction

whe

re n

eces

sary

■Im

prov

emen

ts to

Tow

er,

Mr

Ts, P

alati

ne C

entr

e &

on

goin

g w

orks

to B

urge

r Ki

ng

■Co

ntinu

ed u

se o

f s21

5 N

otice

s

T Co

glan

, D P

ratt

G

John

ston

, R

Gre

en

Ong

oing

Part

2: K

ey D

evel

opm

ent S

ites

2.1

P

Cent

ral B

usin

ess

Dis

tric

t - T

he e

xisti

ng P

roje

ct G

roup

/Boa

rd w

ill c

ontin

ue to

del

iver

pha

se 1

:

■N

ew o

ffice

acc

omm

odati

on fo

r Bl

ackp

ool C

ounc

il (a

ncho

r te

nant

) and

the

priv

ate

sect

or w

ith s

ome

anci

llary

reta

il at

gro

und-

floor

■N

ew 8

000s

q.m

Sai

nsbu

ry’s

food

sto

re w

ith p

oten

tial p

etro

l filli

ng s

tatio

n

■Re

mod

el a

nd re

furb

ish

Talb

ot R

oad

mul

ti-st

orey

car

par

k

■Re

surf

ace

Bank

s St

reet

sur

face

car

par

k

■Su

ppor

ting

infr

astr

uctu

re &

pub

lic re

alm

impr

ovem

ents

incl

udin

g ne

w p

ublic

squ

are

■Co

unci

l offi

ce c

onst

ructi

on &

hi

ghw

ay w

orks

sta

rted

■Ta

lbot

Roa

d m

ulti-

stor

ey

car

park

refu

rbis

hmen

t &

supe

rmar

ket c

onst

ructi

on d

ue

to c

omm

ence

Nov

‘12

■Ba

nks

Stre

et to

be

refu

rbis

hed

Sum

mer

’13

Step

hen

Wat

erfie

ldAn

tony

Hill

Ru

ssel

l Dav

ies

Pete

r Cro

ss

Gar

y Jo

hnst

on

Paol

o Pe

rtica

N

eil

Mac

key

Mik

e Ki

rkm

an

Stev

e M

aher

Mus

e, A

rup

Gro

up

esta

blis

hed

Mar

ch ‘1

1

Phas

e 1

com

plet

ed

by 2

014

Page 27 of 34

Acti

onA

chie

vem

ent

to d

ate

Stak

ehol

ders

Tim

esca

le

2.2

Cent

ral B

usin

ess

Dis

tric

t - T

he e

xisti

ng P

roje

ct G

roup

/ Bo

ard

will

liai

se w

ith M

USE

and

pr

ivat

e se

ctor

par

tner

s to

del

iver

furt

her p

hase

s:

■N

ew, c

ompl

emen

tary

offi

ce /

hot

el /

reta

il de

velo

pmen

t

■Re

furb

ish

and

rem

odel

the

Wilk

inso

n bu

ildin

g to

pro

vide

an

impr

oved

faça

de a

nd s

pace

■Im

prov

emen

ts to

the

railw

ay s

tatio

n an

d im

prov

ed p

edes

tria

n co

nnec

tivity

to m

ore

inte

grat

ed p

ublic

tran

spor

t opti

ons

(incl

udin

g bu

s, tr

am a

nd ra

il se

rvic

es)

■D

ialo

gue

ongo

ing

with

MU

SE

and

key

stak

ehol

ders

to

prog

ress

a v

iabl

e se

cond

pha

se

Step

hen

Wat

erfie

ldA

Hill

, R D

avie

s,

P Cr

oss,

G

John

ston

P

Perti

ca, N

Mac

key

T Ra

yner

, S M

aher

, M

use,

Aru

p

Furt

her

phas

es

deliv

ered

po

st 2

014

2.3

P

Form

er C

entr

al S

tatio

n si

te -

The

existi

ng P

roje

ct G

roup

will

con

tinue

to w

ork

with

G

reen

bank

& A

ssoc

iate

s to

del

iver

a m

ajor

leis

ure

deve

lopm

ent:

■W

ork

to c

ondi

tions

of e

xclu

sivi

ty a

gree

men

t / p

rom

ote

OJE

U c

ompl

iant

pro

cure

men

t

■A

gree

dev

elop

men

t in

acco

rdan

ce w

ith th

e A

dopt

ed D

evel

opm

ent B

rief

SPD

in

clud

ing

mix

of u

ses,

des

ign,

inte

grati

on/r

eloc

ation

of e

xisti

ng u

ses,

wid

er

infr

astr

uctu

re u

pgra

des

■Id

entif

y si

tes

and

fund

ing

optio

ns to

relo

cate

the

Polic

e an

d La

w C

ourt

s; a

nd lo

bby

Cent

ral G

over

nmen

t and

the

Polic

e Co

mm

issi

oner

■Es

tabl

ish

a de

velo

pmen

t agr

eem

ent /

join

t ven

ture

agr

eem

ent

■H

elp

to s

ecur

e pl

anni

ng p

erm

issi

on a

nd re

late

d co

nsen

ts

■Co

mpl

ete

com

puls

ory

purc

hase

ord

er /

hig

hway

ord

ers

and

relo

catio

n st

rate

gy

■D

ialo

gue

ongo

ing

with

G

reen

bank

& A

ssoc

iate

s to

de

velo

p a

viab

le s

chem

e w

hich

sa

tisfie

s th

e D

evel

opm

ent B

rief

■Ke

y offi

cers

met

with

Tre

asur

y O

ct ’1

2 to

dis

cuss

relo

catio

n of

La

w C

ourt

s

■In

itial

exp

lora

tory

wor

k un

derw

ay o

ver

pote

ntial

al

tern

ative

site

s fo

r po

lice

HQ

Rob

Gre

enG

reen

bank

&

Asso

ciat

es,

Lanc

ashi

re P

olic

e,

HM

Cou

rts,

J D

onne

llon,

J Sa

leh,

G Jo

hnst

on,

S W

ater

field

, P

Cros

s, C

Bai

nes,

M

erlin

, Mus

e, U

U,

ENW

, lan

dow

ners

Secu

re d

ev’t

fu

ndin

g by

20

13

Plan

ning

pe

rmis

sion

/

iden

tify

site

s /

CPO

&

relo

catio

n by

201

4

Phas

e 1

dev

star

ts 2

015

Part

3: E

vent

s

3.1

Dev

elop

a s

peci

alist

out

door

mar

kets

and

eve

nts

prog

ram

me

focu

sed

on S

t Joh

n’s

Squa

re,

whi

ch c

apita

lises

on

othe

r eve

nts

taki

ng p

lace

(see

3.5

bel

ow)

■To

wn

Cent

re B

ID a

dopt

ed

resp

onsi

bilit

y

■PT

Eve

nts

Offi

cer

post

cre

ated

Tow

n Ce

ntre

BID

P W

elsh

, N W

yatt

,D

Pra

tt, L

egal

Ong

oing

3.2

Dev

elop

a p

rogr

amm

e of

eve

nts

aim

ed a

t inc

reas

ing

footf

all w

ithin

the

Win

ter G

arde

ns a

nd

high

lighti

ng th

e to

wn

cent

re’s

cultu

ral o

ffer

■D

iver

se ra

nge

of c

ultu

ral

even

ts &

festi

vals

hel

d in

201

2;

prog

ram

me

for

2013

bei

ng

deve

lope

d

N W

yatt

/ P

Ham

ilton

S W

ater

field

, Cr

own

Leisu

re,

Arts

Cou

ncil

Ong

oing

3.3

Crea

te a

mar

ketin

g ca

mpa

ign

and

colla

tera

l to

enco

urag

e pr

ivat

e-se

ctor

led

orga

nise

rs

to p

rogr

amm

e ev

ents

on

the

Tow

er F

estiv

al H

eadl

and

and

esta

blis

h st

anda

rd o

pera

tiona

l pr

oced

ures

e.g

. clo

sure

of t

he P

rom

enad

e

■El

ton

John

, The

Wan

ted

&

McF

ly c

once

rts

& il

lum

inati

ons

switc

h-on

hel

d in

201

2

Nat

alie

Wya

ttPe

ter C

ross

Ong

oing

3.4

Dev

elop

a jo

int c

ampa

ign

with

tow

n ce

ntre

att

racti

ons

/ bu

sine

sses

to c

apita

lise

on

orga

nise

d ev

ents

taki

ng p

lace

(e.g

. Illu

min

ation

s, S

how

zam

, Dan

ce F

estiv

al)

Nat

alie

Wya

ttTC

bus

ines

ses,

W

inte

r Gar

dens

, P

Wel

sh, R

Rya

n

Ong

oing

Page 28 of 34

Acti

onA

chie

vem

ent

to d

ate

Stak

ehol

ders

Tim

esca

le

3.5

Dev

elop

new

illu

min

ation

con

cept

s th

at e

ncou

rage

vis

itors

out

of t

heir

car

s an

d in

to th

e to

wn

cent

re ■

Enha

nced

illu

min

ated

road

se

ction

in fr

ont o

f Tow

er

■“W

elco

me

to B

rilli

ance

” ga

tew

ay o

n W

est S

tree

t

■W

ider

revi

ew o

f illu

min

ation

s un

derw

ay

Rich

ard

Ryan

Tow

n Ce

ntre

BID

,TC

ope

rato

rs

Ong

oing

Part

4: S

tree

ts, s

pace

s an

d m

ovem

ent

4.1

Mai

n sh

oppi

ng s

tree

ts in

nee

d of

pub

lic re

alm

impr

ovem

ent –

■D

eep

clea

n an

d se

al V

icto

ria S

tree

t, Ba

nk H

ey S

tree

t & A

dela

ide

Stre

et W

est

■St

anda

rdis

e si

gnag

e, li

tter

bin

s an

d be

nche

s in

Ban

k H

ey S

tree

t, Vi

ctor

ia S

tree

t and

Ad

elai

de S

t Wes

t to

com

plem

ent m

oder

n st

reet

furn

iture

in C

hurc

h St

reet

■In

trod

uce

soft

land

scap

ing

into

Ban

k H

ey S

tree

t e.g

. pla

nter

s

■Re

surf

ace

Bank

Hey

Str

eet,

Adel

aide

Str

eet W

est a

nd b

ottom

of V

icto

ria S

tree

t (E

stim

ates

: Ban

k H

ey S

t / b

ottom

of V

icto

ria S

t £1.

2m g

rani

te s

ets;

£60

0k c

oncr

ete

sets

; £1

50k

tarm

ac. A

dela

ide

St W

est £

850k

gra

nite

set

s; £

450k

con

cret

e se

ts; £

110k

tarm

ac)

■Cl

ean

& s

eal o

f Ban

k H

ey S

t,

Vict

oria

St &

Ade

laid

e St

Wes

t A

pril

‘12

■Li

tter

bin

s st

anda

rdis

ed A

pr

’12

& b

olla

rds

pain

ted

■Ta

lbot

Squ

are

resu

rfac

ed &

re

mod

elle

d w

ith n

ew tr

affic

sign

als

July

‘12

Paol

o Pe

rtica

Clar

e N

olan

-Bar

nes

J Eva

ns, P

Cro

ss,

Tow

n Ce

ntre

BID

, sh

op o

wne

rs,

Mer

lin,

Gro

undw

ork,

uti

lities

com

pani

es

Spri

ng 2

013

Dep

ende

nt

on fu

ndin

g

4.2

Litt

er c

ontr

ol a

nd e

nfor

cem

ent -

■Pr

ioriti

se m

ain

shop

ping

stre

ets

and

publ

ic s

pace

s w

ithin

the

tow

n ce

ntre

and

key

ap

proa

ch ro

utes

into

the

tow

n ce

ntre

for r

egul

ar li

tter

swee

ps

■Ex

plor

e th

e op

tion

of in

trod

ucin

g vo

lunt

ary

/ non

-vol

unta

ry li

tter

con

trol

noti

ces

and

vary

ing

prem

ise

licen

sing

con

ditio

ns o

r rat

es to

con

trib

ute

tow

ards

cle

anin

g

Paol

o Pe

rtica

Mar

k M

arsh

all,

Jez

Evan

s,

Tow

n Ce

ntre

BID

Ong

oing

- de

pend

ent

on fu

ndin

g

4.3

Nig

ht-ti

me

secu

rity

/ p

ublic

ord

er -

■M

aint

ain

CCTV

mon

itorin

g le

vels

and

eng

age

with

indi

vidu

al b

usin

esse

s to

impr

ove

parti

cipa

tion

and

the

use

of C

CTV

at in

divi

dual

ven

ues

■Co

ntinu

e to

sup

port

the

rest

/ rec

uper

ation

and

tria

ge fa

cilit

y (N

ight

Saf

e H

aven

)

■M

aint

ain

taxi

stew

ardi

ng in

Que

en S

tree

t

■In

vesti

gate

the

impr

ovem

ent o

f nig

ht-ti

me

car p

arki

ng a

cces

s

■D

evel

opm

ent o

f Nig

ht S

afe

Hav

en (s

hort

liste

d fo

r a

natio

nal a

war

d)

■Fu

ndin

g se

cure

d fo

r 20

12-1

3 to

con

tinue

taxi

ste

war

ding

in

Que

en S

tree

t 1-4

am

Paol

o Pe

rtica

Tow

n Ce

ntre

BID

,La

ncas

hire

Pol

ice,

Prim

ary

Care

Trus

t,Ta

xi op

erat

ors,

Nig

ht-ti

me

venu

es

Ong

oing

4.4

Com

plet

e a

Park

ing

Stra

tegy

for

the

tow

n ce

ntre

and

reso

rt c

ore

-

■Re

view

exi

sting

par

king

pro

visi

on (o

n an

d off

-str

eet)

and

occ

upan

cy le

vels

■D

evel

op a

ction

s to

impr

ove

the

qual

ity a

nd e

ffici

ency

of p

arki

ng p

rovi

sion

whi

ch

supp

orts

the

vita

lity

and

viab

ility

of t

he to

wn

cent

re

■St

rate

gy in

dra

ft a

nd a

wai

ting

deci

sion

on

how

to p

rogr

ess

Pete

r Cr

oss

Jere

my

Wal

ker,

Paol

o Pe

rtica

, A

nton

y H

ill,

Jane

Sal

eh

Ong

oing

Page 29 of 34

Acti

onA

chie

vem

ent

to d

ate

Stak

ehol

ders

Tim

esca

le

4.5

P

Esta

blis

h a

Tran

spor

t Gro

up to

revi

ew a

nd im

prov

e -

■Ad

vanc

ed d

irecti

onal

sign

age

to c

ar p

arks

and

maj

or a

ttra

ction

s alo

ng k

ey ro

utes

(o

ptim

ising

UTM

C &

Var

iabl

e M

essa

ge S

igni

ng);

and

rem

ove

redu

ndan

t sig

nage

■Ve

hicu

lar a

cces

s to,

and

man

agem

ent o

f, ca

r par

ks to

bal

ance

the

need

s of d

iffer

ent u

ser

grou

ps a

nd e

ncou

rage

long

er st

ays (

indi

rect

ly re

late

d to

the

park

ing

stra

tegy

)

■Bu

s rou

tein

g an

d in

fras

truc

ture

, inc

ludi

ng b

us st

op lo

catio

ns a

nd sh

elte

rs, b

us p

riorit

y m

easu

res a

long

key

rout

es, b

us in

form

ation

and

pro

moti

on

■Pe

dest

rian

way

findi

ng si

gnag

e / i

nfor

mati

on b

oard

s to

dire

ct p

edes

tria

n tr

affic

to a

nd fr

om

desti

natio

ns, i

nclu

ding

link

ages

bet

wee

n pu

blic

tran

spor

t and

the

cycl

e-hi

re sc

hem

e

■Pe

dest

rian

faci

lities

e.g

. cro

ssin

g po

ints

/ se

ating

pro

visio

n an

d fu

rthe

r ped

estr

iani

satio

n

■Ta

xi ra

nk lo

catio

ns to

pro

vide

goo

d co

vera

ge a

cros

s the

tow

n ce

ntre

■Lo

adin

g ar

rang

emen

ts in

clud

ing

use

/ acc

ess t

o Te

mpl

e St

reet

■Fa

ciliti

es fo

r coa

ches

and

thei

r pas

seng

ers

Not

e: F

undi

ng s

ourc

es in

clud

e th

e Lo

cal T

rans

port

Pla

n, B

etter

Bus

Are

a Fu

nd (B

BAF)

, S1

06 m

onie

s an

d sp

onso

rshi

p op

port

uniti

es

■So

me

impr

oved

adv

ance

d di

recti

onal

sig

nage

■£1

m s

ecur

ed fr

om B

BAF

-par

tially

spe

nt im

prov

ing

bus

routi

ng (C

oron

ation

St)

& b

us

stop

pro

visi

on (C

orpo

ratio

n /

Mar

ket S

t)

■Pr

omen

ade

com

plet

ed w

ith

impr

oved

cro

ssin

g po

ints

to

tow

n ce

ntre

■O

ngoi

ng d

ialo

gue

with

st

akeh

olde

rs &

cou

ncill

ors

re.

acce

ss a

nd m

ovem

ent i

ssue

s

Pete

r Cro

ssKa

ren

Gal

low

ay,

Will

Brit

ain,

Jere

my

Wal

ker,

Caro

l Bra

cegi

rdle

, M

atthe

w E

dwar

ds,

Paol

o Pe

rtica

, N

atal

ie W

yatt

,H

ighw

ays

Agen

cy,

Bus

/ tax

i / c

oach

op

erat

ors,

LCC,

Sus

tran

s,

Arup

, N

etw

ork

Rail

Impl

emen

t ac

tions

20

11-1

5 de

pend

ent

on fu

ndin

g

4.6

Dev

elop

the

upgr

aded

tra

mw

ay fu

rthe

r by

:

■Pr

omoti

ng th

e tr

amw

ay a

s a

sust

aina

ble

mod

e of

tran

spor

t int

o th

e to

wn

cent

re fo

r vi

sito

rs, s

hopp

ers

and

com

mut

ers

to m

axim

ise

its u

sage

■Co

ntinu

ing

to p

rogr

ess

disc

ussi

ons

abou

t a fu

ture

tram

link

bet

wee

n th

e Pr

omen

ade

and

Blac

kpoo

l Nor

th s

tatio

n

■O

ngoi

ng d

ialo

gue

re. p

oten

tial

maj

or s

chem

e fu

ndin

g fo

r th

e tr

am li

nk fr

om a

futu

re L

ocal

Tr

ansp

ort B

ody

expe

cted

to b

e fo

rmed

Pete

r Cro

ssKa

ren

Gal

low

ay,

Will

Brit

ain,

Jere

my

Wal

ker,

Matt

hew

Edw

ards

, LC

C, N

etw

ork

Rail

Dep

ende

nt

on fu

ndin

g (c

ould

be

as e

arly

as

2015

-16)

Part

5: P

rom

otion

, Com

mun

icati

on a

nd In

form

ation

Man

agem

ent

5.1

Esta

blis

h a

reta

iler

supp

ort n

etw

ork

to c

reat

e cl

oser

liai

son

with

reta

ilers

and

age

nts

with

a p

artic

ular

focu

s on

the

reta

il co

re ■

Tow

n Te

am lo

okin

g at

way

s of

off

erin

g pr

actic

al s

uppo

rt a

nd

trai

ning

for

TC re

taile

rs

Phili

p W

elsh

Tow

n Te

am,

Tow

n Ce

ntre

BID

Ong

oing

5.2

Com

pile

/ is

sue

prom

otion

al b

roch

ure

to m

arke

t th

e to

wn

cent

re a

s a

loca

tion

for

reta

il, fo

od &

dri

nk in

vest

men

t (A

201

1 FS

P to

wn

cent

re r

epor

t id

entifi

es p

oten

tial

oper

ator

s to

targ

et)

■D

raft

bro

chur

e pr

oduc

edRo

b G

reen

N W

yatt

, D P

ratt

,P

Wel

sh

Ong

oing

5.3

Dev

elop

the

“Ta

ke a

Fre

sh L

ook”

mar

ketin

g ca

mpa

ign

for

conf

eren

ce &

bus

ines

s to

uris

m a

nd fo

rmati

on o

f a b

usin

ess

tour

ism

cam

paig

n gr

oup;

and

impr

ove

mon

itor

ing

of t

he e

cono

mic

impa

ct o

f con

fere

nces

on

the

tow

n ce

ntre

and

vis

itor

eco

nom

y

Nat

alie

Wya

ttP

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sh,

key

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ls,

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sure

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ch,

Win

ter

Gar

dens

Ong

oing

Page 30 of 34

Acti

onA

chie

vem

ent

to d

ate

Stak

ehol

ders

Tim

esca

le

5.4

Esta

blis

h a

priv

ate

sect

or le

isur

e gr

oup

and

data

base

of m

ajor

ope

rato

rs

(dev

elop

ers

and

site

s)

■Sm

all t

ask

grou

p fo

rmed

th

roug

h th

e ED

C to

con

tinue

un

der

the

Mar

ketin

g Bl

ackp

ool

umbr

ella

Rob

Gre

enN

Wya

tt, P

W

elsh

, BBL

G,

Tour

ist B

oard

, Vi

sit E

ngla

nd,

key

oper

ator

s,

Gre

enba

nk

Ong

oing

grou

p pa

rt

esta

blis

hed

5.5

Esta

blis

h a

soun

d ba

sis

for

asse

ssin

g th

e im

pact

of t

he v

isito

r ec

onom

y on

the

tow

n ce

ntre

(i.e

. spe

nd n

ot fo

otfal

l/vi

sito

r nu

mbe

rs) a

s pa

rt o

f wid

er m

onito

ring

of t

he

visi

tor

econ

omy

■Re

sear

ch b

eing

car

ried

out

at

the

Win

ter

Gar

dens

/ T

ower

m

ay g

ive

a be

tter

insi

ght i

nto

patt

erns

of v

isito

r sp

end

Phili

p W

elsh

D A

lexa

nder

, S

Rigb

yD

Jack

son,

N

Wya

ttM

erlin

Spri

ng 2

012

5.6

Dev

elop

Mar

ketin

g Bl

ackp

ool’s

role

as

an in

war

d in

vest

men

t lea

d fo

r offi

ce d

evel

opm

ent

with

in th

e to

wn

cent

re a

nd to

impr

ove

inve

stor

con

fiden

ce in

Bla

ckpo

ol:

■D

evel

op w

orki

ng c

onta

cts

with

exi

sting

offi

ce a

ccom

mod

ation

bus

ines

ses

■D

evel

op re

latio

nshi

p w

ith p

ublic

sec

tor/

Cent

ral G

over

nmen

t

■U

nder

stan

d ex

istin

g m

arke

t / o

ccup

iers

sca

le, q

ualit

y an

d pe

rcep

tion

■Re

sear

ch e

xisti

ng o

ffice

/w

orkf

orce

por

tfol

io a

nd im

pact

of d

owns

izin

g as

wel

l as

oppo

rtun

ities

from

relo

catio

n /

de-c

entr

alis

ation

/ c

onso

lidati

on

■En

gage

with

loca

l, re

gion

al &

nati

onal

age

nts

thro

ugh

the

Fyld

e Co

ast E

DC

agen

ts g

roup

■O

ngoi

ng d

ialo

gue

with

som

e ex

istin

g Bl

ackp

ool /

Fyl

de

Coas

t bus

ines

ses

(pub

lic &

pr

ivat

e se

ctor

) to

esta

blis

h fu

ture

requ

irem

ents

Rob

Gre

enJ D

onne

llon,

A

Cavi

ll, N

Wya

tt,

S W

ater

field

, S

Butt

erfie

ld, L

CC,

Wyr

e BC

, Fyl

de B

C,Lo

cal/

regi

onal

ag

ents

, de

velo

pers

, DW

P,

GPU

, LEP

, La

ncas

hire

Cou

nty

Deve

lopm

ents

Ltd

Ong

oing

5.7

Conti

nue

to e

ngag

e w

ith C

entr

al G

over

nmen

t and

Net

wor

k Ra

il to

ele

ctri

fy th

e lin

e be

twee

n Bl

ackp

ool N

orth

and

Man

ches

ter;

and

max

imis

e op

port

uniti

es fr

om th

e el

ectr

ifica

tion

incl

udin

g fa

ster

, mor

e fr

eque

nt tr

ains

and

est

ablis

hing

a d

irect

trai

n lin

e be

twee

n Bl

ackp

ool N

orth

and

oth

er m

ajor

citi

es in

clud

ing

Lond

on a

nd G

lasg

ow

John

Don

nello

nP

Cros

s,

N W

yatt

, BB

LG,

Net

wor

k Ra

il

Elec

trifi

catio

n to

be

com

plet

ed b

y 20

16

Page 31 of 34

Blackpool Town Centre Strategy

Appendix 2

Risk Register

This section contains a risk assessment which has been prepared to identify factors that may hinder the successful implementation of the Town Centre Strategy, along with appropriate mitigation to try and limit the risk.

The risk register is a working document and will be monitored and updated on a regular basis by the Town Centre Steering Group.

Key to scoring

I = Impact (5 = Catastrophic, 4 = Major, 3 = Moderate, 2 = Minor, 1 = Insignificant)

L = Likelihood (5 = Almost Certain, 4 = Likely, 3 = More than even, 2 = Less than even, 1 = Improbable)

No. Description of Risk Gross Risk Score Controls & Mitigation Net Risk Score Risk Owner

I L GS I L NS

1 Further downturn in the economy making new investment difficult to secure

5 4 20 Continue to work with the economy by targeting areas of the economy that are more active

4 4 16 Town Centre Steering Group

2 Costs to deliver actions underestimated or subject to change in circumstances in the future (e.g. change in budget pressures)

4 4 16 More detailed costs worked up in Business Plans alongside contingency plans

3 3 9 Town Centre Steering Group

3 Unsuccessful in securing major scheme funding for a tram link to Blackpool North Station

4 3 12 Identify potential alternative funding or develop contingency methods to improve integration of the public transport network

3 3 9 Town Centre Steering Group

4 Failure to deliver further phases of the Central Business District

5 2 10 Ongoing dialogue with Muse to develop a viable 2nd phase; or develop contingency methods for future development/ improvement of sites which would not undermine phase 1 e.g. improvements to Blackpool North

4 2 8 Central Business District Project Group/Board

Page 32 of 34

Blackpool Town Centre Strategy

No. Description of Risk Gross Risk Score Controls & Mitigation Net Risk Score Risk Owner

I L GS I L NS

5 Failure to secure investment for new development and improvement in the Winter Gardens to support the business model and enable it to fulfil its role as a key leisure and entertainment venue for the resort

5 3 15 Develop a clear, coherent vision, strategy and business plan for the future of the Winter Gardens and maximise engagement/buy-in to the business model from primary and secondary stakeholders

4 2 8 Winter Gardens Project Group / Board

6 Current developer chooses not to pursue redevelopment of the former Central Station site

4 3 12 Promote and market the site to an international audience. Identify interim measures to improve the site's appearance

3 3 9 Town Centre Steering Group

7 Ability to retain staff responsible for delivering on actions and staff resources to meet timescales

4 4 16 The Town Centre Steering Group will monitor implementation and ensure the right staff / resources are in place or alter the programme accordingly

3 4 12 Town Centre Steering Group

8 Uncoordinated delivery of actions as a result of poor communication

4 3 12 Communication Plan produced by Steering Group and circulated to all officers involved in delivery or working on linked pieces of work/projects

4 2 8 Town Centre Steering Group

9 Difficulty engaging with key stakeholders / businesses

4 3 12 Use existing mechanisms to engage (e.g. the Business Liaison Group, Town Centre BID, Town Team or Council’s Enforcement Team) and circulate a Communication Plan if necessary

4 2 8 Town Centre Steering Group

Page 33 of 34

Blackpool Town Centre Strategy

No. Description of Risk Gross Risk Score Controls & Mitigation Net Risk Score Risk Owner

I L GS I L NS

10 Opposition to actions by town centre businesses, operators or the general public (community buy-in)

4 3 12 Consult and engage with key stakeholders when delivering actions as appropriate to improve community buy-in; and use different engagement methods as appropriate

4 2 8 Town Centre Steering Group

11 Securing planning consent

5 2 10 Early involvement of colleagues in Planning as appropriate

3 1 3 Town Centre Steering Group

12 Difficulty with tracing / contacting property owner(s) to fulfil legal requirements

3 2 6 Title info is available for most town centre premises and is mapped. Regular review will help keep records up-to-date

3 1 3 Town Centre Steering Group

13 New legislation may be introduced which allows commercial properties to change to residential use without the need for planning permission (and without any restrictions on permitted changes e.g. location or size of property)

4 3 12 Depending on the announcement made (and the consequences on town centre premises), look to implement an article 4 direction to retain some control over change of use

3 1 3 Planning Dep’t

Contact us

Blackpool Council, Built Environment PO Box 17, Corporation Street, Blackpool, FY1 1LZ

T: (01253) 477477 E: [email protected] W: www.blackpool.gov.uk

J110627 0413