Full planning permission is being sought for a 53,000 sq ft office building off Talbot Road in Blackpool town centre, with capacity for more than 1,000 office workers.
The land, on the site of the former Apollo 2000 store, sits within the boundary of the Talbot Gateway development around Blackpool North train station.
Blackpool Council and its development partner Muse are in discussions with an organisation that wishes to develop and occupy a new office within the town centre, they said.
This office would be the fifth phase of the £350m Talbot Gateway development, which is looking to bring more than 8,000 workers and students into Blackpool town centre.
Cllr Mark Smith, cabinet member for levelling up at Blackpool Council, said: “This is another major step forward in our plans to make Blackpool better and boost our local economy. The area around the train station was previously a desolate area in desperate need of regeneration. Over the last ten years we have regenerated it into a desirable location for businesses looking for quality office space on the Fylde coast. Our initial ambition and investment to build the earlier phases of the Talbot Gateway has led us to be in this position where more organisations are approaching us to help them move their jobs into the town centre.
“In turn, that has a huge potential for the private sector to continue to invest in Blackpool, creating more opportunities for business and creating more year-round, well-paid jobs for local people.”
Muse technical director Alan McBride said: “The fifth phase of Talbot Gateway will provide a further catalyst for Blackpool’s renaissance, helping to spur additional economic growth in the town by delivering yet more future-proofed workspace to benefit business in the region.
“Our long-standing partnership with Blackpool Council has already played a pivotal role in the regeneration of the town, and this development would mark yet another notable staging point on the journey towards reframing this iconic seaside destination.”
Phase one, including new offices, a supermarket and an upgraded 650 space multi-storey car park, was completed in 2014. Phase two, a hotel and restaurant, opened on 1st May 2024. A tramway extension, interchange with the train station and surrounding retail units are due to open next month.
Phase three, a £100m government office block for 3,000 civil servants, is under construction by Vinci and expected to open in 2025, while planning consent has been granted for a Multiversity campus for Blackpool and the Fylde College in phase four.
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