Movement finally happening on CPO homes for Revoe Sports Villagee

Plans to demolish a row of terraced houses as part of a major sports-themed regeneration project in Blackpool have finally taken a step forward.

A planning application has been lodged with Blackpool Council for demolition of 15 houses on Henry Street, the houses which back onto the Bloomfield Road football stadium and which have been acquired by the council via Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPO).

The homes need to be bulldozed to allow work to proceed on two schemes –  plans for a new East Stand at Bloomfield Road stadium and the Revoe Community Sports Village, the creation of new pitches at the side of the stadium.

Plans for the Revoe Sports Village, which has been allocated £6.5m from Blackpool’s £40m Town Deal, include a full-size 11-a-side artificial grass pitch and a five-a-side artificial grass pitch, both with floodlighting, a single-storey changing pavilion and a storage building.

A further phase of the scheme is to build a new East Stand at the stadium

Delays to these projects led some residents to fear they had been forced to move out of their homes for no reason, with most of the houses lying eerily empty for the past two years.

But Blackpool FC recently issued a statement to say a planning application for the East Stand was to be submitted soon.

Meanwhile, the application for the demolition has given indication that the schemes are finally starting to push ahead.

In documents for the demolition plans, a report said this week: “The demolition of the properties will improve and develop the economic and social wellbeing of the area by enabling future regeneration.

“Deprivation around the football club is evident and the vacant properties have attracted anti-social behaviour, fly tipping and security issues causing continuous issues for the local area.

“The Council has acquired the freehold interest in the above mentioned premises, apart from (one named property) where approval to purchase has been agreed with the property owner and is currently with solicitors.

“The properties are required to facilitate development of the
Revoe Sports Village.”

It is recommended that the demolition of the properties goes ahead.

Meanwhile, in its most recent statement in September, Blackpool FC said: “The Club continues to prepare a planning application for phases two and three of the East Stand development. As supporters will already have seen, phase one of work across the stadium reached completion before the start of the new season. 

“Substantial improvements were made to the East Stand including the strengthening of steel works as well as the installation of new seats and a new press area and camera gantry.

“Rails were also installed throughout the North Stand and the south-east corner of the stadium, to accommodate safe standing for both home and away supporters where required.

“The Club will continue to update supporters as matters progress.”