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Multiversity public inquiry to last eight days

Thursday, 31 October 2024 12:39

By Shelagh Parkinson

Eight days have been set aside for a hearing which will decide the future of a £65m regeneration project in the heart of Blackpool.

Planning inspector Phillip Ware will oversee the public inquiry into a compulsory purchase order (CPO) which Blackpool Council is seeking to clear land for the proposed multiversity.

The council has already acquired 70 per cent of the site between Cookson Street, Milbourne Street, George Street and Grosvenor Street but 13 objections were submitted to the CPO triggering the public inquiry.

Some of those have been withdrawn as negotiations continue to buy up property, with the hearing set to hear evidence from remaining objectors and the council.

The public inquiry will take place at The Imperial Hotel on North Promenade, starting on Tuesday November 12 until Friday November 15. It is then due to re-open on Tuesday December 3 and run until Friday December 6, although if all the evidence has been heard it could close sooner.

The inspector will then go away and consider all the evidence before publishing his decision which is expected to be some time early in the new year. Members of the public can attend the hearing.

If the decision enables the CPO to proceed, it is hoped to begin work on the project in May or June next year providing all the site has been assembled.

Nick Gerrard, growth and prosperity manager at the council, told a recent meeting of the Tourism, Economy and Communities Scrutiny Committee that the council had to show the CPO was in the public interest with fair compensation given to those who were displaced.

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