Nikal and Media Invest Entertainment’s £300M leisure scheme can now go ahead after the council’s planning committee universally backed the proposal.
Despite objections from nearby Blackpool Pleasure Beach, the proposed £300M Blackpool Central is set to be constructed on the site of the former train station of the same name. Upon completion, it will feature three indoor entertainment venues including a 127,000sq ft flying theatre, a 70,000sq ft public square, a 200 bedroom hotel, a 1,300 space multi-storey car park, a heritage quarter and bars and restaurants.
Richard Fee, Chief Executive Officer, Nikal, said: “This is a key moment for levelling up Blackpool’s visitor economy post Covid. Blackpool Central will help transform and futureproof the town’s tourism offer, and last night’s approval is an important step forward in our journey.”
The plans went before Blackpool Council’s planning committee and full planning permission was sought for the seven-storey car park which is required to unlock the rest of the site for development and the heritage quarter. Further, the groups asked for planning permission for the remainder of the project, including the three indoor theme parks. All of these were unanimously approved.
