Blackpool's £500k Levelling Up cash will 'provide much-wanted green spaces' and seats

Blackpool has been awarded £500,000 of government cash to spend on new trees, plants and seating in the town centre.

The funding will be used to green up an area of Queen Street and Abingdon Street. It is hoped the project will help revitalise the area, where plans have also been drawn up to extend Central Library and The Grundy Art Gallery to create a £10m cultural hub.

Regeneration is also helping support proposals to build on the gay-friendly cluster of bars and hotels in the area to create an LGBTQ+ heritage district. Tim Allan, chair of Blackpool’s Abingdon Street and Queen Street High Street Accelerator partnership, said: “When we have engaged with the various communities in and around the area, we are consistently told that more green spaces are needed for those living, working and visiting the area.

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“This money will help us provide much-wanted green spaces and additional planting and will have a significant impact. The ‘greening up’ of the area is part of a much bigger plan to reinvigorate this particular part of the town and I very much look forward to working with both the community and Blackpool Council to get this project off the ground.”

The funding is from the High Street Accelerators Pilot Programme Green Spaces Funding with Blackpool among 10 areas across England receiving £500,000 each to revive their high streets and entice residents back to the shops.

Blackpool Council has previously used government funding to spend £100,000 planting 10 trees in Cookson Street and £174,000 planting six trees in Edward Street, both in the town centre.

The Minister for Levelling Up Jacob Young, who visited Blackpool in January to look at regeneration in the town, said: “Coupled with the new powers we’re giving to councils to rent out persistently empty spaces, our High Street Accelerators programme will make our towns more welcoming and pleasant places for people to enjoy.”

The money will be spent in Blackpool creating new green spaces around Central Library and the Grundy Art Gallery. New flowers and plants will also be added along the high street in order to boost footfall.

A planning application was submitted in January to refurbish Central Library and extend the Grundy by creating new galleries and exhibition space.