Blackpool Council is preparing the groundwork to potentially use compulsory purchase order powers as it pushes ahead with the biggest housing regeneration the central area has seen in decades. A report going to the Executive on 13 July recommends taking the first steps to assemble CPO powers for the Central Drive scheme, though no final decision on acquiring properties by force has been taken. Council leader Cllr Lynn Williams said the proposals represent a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” to transform the third most deprived area in the country.
Over three-quarters of property owners have already agreed to sell or are actively negotiating, and 35.8 per cent of interests are acquired, exchanged or agreed. A further 41.6 per cent have received valuation offers, with talks ongoing. The first phase is backed by £90.4 million from Homes England, secured in March 2024, to demolish up to 300 properties and build 230 energy-efficient social homes alongside shops, community spaces, green areas and flexible workspaces across 5.4 hectares.
A formal decision to use CPO powers would not be expected before autumn 2026 at the earliest. Dedicated engagement teams have made more than 2,400 contacts, and around nine in every ten households have had at least one conversation about their options. Residents can get face-to-face advice at Ibbison Community Centre, where the engagement team holds regular drop-in sessions. One resident, Scott Southern, received more than £8,000 in home loss and disturbance compensation after moving to a two-bedroom maisonette in South Shore.
The planning application was submitted in June 2026, following public consultations that began in August 2024. Cllr Williams said smaller schemes had been tried before and failed, and that the scale of government funding allows intervention that will deliver transformational change. The work connects to wider ambitions to attract international investors, build social housing at Foxhall Village where 88 properties near completion, and improve community facilities at Blackpool Football Club and Revoe Park.
Cllr Dave Flanagan, cabinet member for housing, urged any residents who have not yet engaged to contact the team. The council has stressed that the CPO report is an initial step and residents do not need to panic, with personalised support available to find alternative housing and access compensation for anyone affected.
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