VIPs and members of the Houndshill development team met to break ground at Tower Street Car Park at Houndshill Shopping Centre to mark the start of the main contract for Phase Two works on site.
Three key deals were signed in February that have enabled the scheme to commence, the Council’s acquisition of Tower Street Car Park, a lease agreement for a new 22,500 sq ft Wilko store and a deal with MMC Cinemas for a nine screen, 850 seat, 40,500 sq ft multi-media cinema complex, including the biggest immersive screen in Lancashire.
GRAHAM has been appointed as the lead contractor and CBRE the project manager and cost consultant for the scheme. The first phase enabling works will involve initial utilities diversion works and the preparation of site for the main building works to follow. This first phase of the project will be complete by Winter 2022.
Cllr Lynn Williams, Leader of Blackpool Council said, “We are committed to diversifying and modernising the town centre to encourage residents and visitors to choose Blackpool as their main shopping centre of choice. This means celebrating our well known heritage buildings, driving footfall to new areas of the town and encouraging people to stay for longer. The Houndshill Phase 2 extension will deliver a new range of high-quality entertainment, retail and leisure choices that meet the needs of the modern family, which will complement the existing shops at the Houndshill, boost both day and night time business, and increase the amount of time and money spent in the town centre.”
