Council sells land for new courthouse for £1

The new courthouse will include 10 courts, judicial chambers and custody facilities

A key site in Blackpool is to be sold for £1 in order to kickstart a major regeneration project.

The deal will see the council sell land formerly occupied by the Devonshire Road Hospital to the government to enable work to begin on building a new magistrates' court.

Blackpool Council paid about £1m for the 3.7 acre site in 2020, using funding from an early tranche of Town Deal cash.

As the money came from central government, it has now been agreed to sell the land to HM Courts and Tribunals Service for the nominal fee.

The £300m Blackpool Central complex will include three indoor theme parks, an artisan food hall and boutique holiday apartments

With planning permission for a new three-storey building already in place, it paves the way for building work to begin early in 2025 with completion by late 2026.

The deal also means the council can move on with the demolition of the former court buildings and police station on Bonny Street to clear that part of the site for the Blackpool Central leisure development.

However, it will retain some of the land on the former Devonshire Road Hospital site not needed for the courthouse, with the council "exploring options for future development of this area in due course".

The new courthouse will include 10 courts, judicial chambers, administrative space, custody facilities and public waiting facilities.

Calls have been made for the developers to "get cracking" following the closure of the existing magistrates courts in November last year after the discovery of Raac (reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete) in the building.

Cases are currently being heard at other courts across Lancashire.