Developers of new Blackpool court told to 'get cracking'

A new £40m courthouse on Devonshire Road and Talbot Road is set to open in 2026

Plans for a multi-million-pound magistrates court in Blackpool have got the go-ahead - with calls made for developers to "get cracking".

Blackpool Council's planning committee unanimously approved an application for a three-storey courthouse on the corner of Devonshire Road and Talbot Road.

The meeting heard developers aimed to start at the end of autumn with completion by early summer 2026.

In the meantime, cases will be held outside the Fylde coast

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said councillor Julie Sloman warned it was vital "to get cracking as soon as possible" on building the new courthouse, following the closure last November of the existing magistrates courts on Bonny Street after the discovery of crumbling concrete.

Councillor Ivan Taylor, whose Claremont ward is close to the site of the new courthouse, also addressed the meeting and warned residents were concerned about traffic safety and on-street parking.

The court will be near a busy junction

He said: "The junction of Talbot Road and Devonshire Road is one of the busiest in the borough and huge traffic build-ups happen quite frequently."

He said he feared having the main entrance to the court buildings on Talbot Road could increase the risk of accidents, and asked for parking on the site either to be free or low cost.

The councillor added: "That will avoid the problem of people not wanting to pay for parking and instead parking in nearby residential areas."

Susan Parker, head of development management at the council, said putting the main access on Coleridge Road, which has less traffic, was not considered suitable as this was a smaller, secondary road.

But she said parking regulations would be looked at in nearby streets to prevent the development leading to excessive on-street parking in residential areas.

Funding towards the new courthouse includes £40m from the Levelling Up Fund and £8m from the Town Deal.

Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, X and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to [e-mail]