Blackpool Council has appointed Morgan Sindall Construction’s North West business as the main contractor to build a new £65m state of the art education campus in the town centre.
The appointment follows a competitive tendering process through the Pagabo Framework. The Multiversity mixed-use educational development will bring up to 3,000 students and staff into Blackpool town centre and allow Blackpool and the Fylde College to relocate from out-of-town facilities into a world class campus off Cookson Street in Blackpool.
Land for the development is currently being assembled with the site offering a perfect location situated next to tram, train and bus services, making it accessible to students across the Fylde Coast and beyond.
The Multiversity would be leased to the College, offering more than 70 individual courses and enhancing its existing higher education provision which is directly linked to local employment needs. The Multiversity would also support a wide range of qualifications, from further education, through to higher education and adult learning.
The proposed development would include two phases, starting with an education campus on the corner of Cookson Street and George Street, followed by future development across the southern end of the site by Milbourne Street and Grosvenor Street.
The plans would deliver up to 32,600 sqm of education space and commercial space across several phases, starting with the new Multiversity building.
Outline approval for the scheme was granted in April 2024, with a reserved matters application to follow this summer.
The main campus building would be designed to be carbon-neutral in operation, with the surrounding area on George Street landscaped and pedestrianised to make it a safer environment for students and local people. The Multiversity has been designed by established architects Hawkins\Brown and aims to complement the rest of the Talbot Gateway regeneration.
Steven Gregory, Morgan Sindall Construction’s North West Area Director, said: “We’re excited to be appointed to the Multiversity Campus project with Blackpool Council and the Blackpool and The Fylde College, which promises to deliver highly valuable benefits for the local community. Once complete, the campus will boost access to advanced skills for Blackpool’s resident and support the town centre’s wider regeneration.
“The Morgan Sindall team is committed to maximising the social and economic value generated during the development. This will be achieved in a number of ways, such as utilising local contractors and creating a Knowledge Quad to provide training and learning opportunities, such as hosting the Blackpool Community Skills Academy employability programme. We’ve also already partnered with Blackpool and The Fylde College to provide ongoing education support to help students become ‘work ready’.”
Cllr Mark Smith, Cabinet Member for Levelling Up at Blackpool Council, said: “This is another important step forward in what is a really exciting development for Blackpool’s future. The Multiversity campus will transform the area around the train station, adding thousands of students to the area which will bring a vibrancy but also an economic boost to surrounding businesses.
“For a development of this size, we needed a large construction company with a track record in delivering quality education campuses. As we have done with other major developments, we will also be ensuring a real commitment to social value, such as hiring local companies where possible, supporting local labour, and encouraging training and apprenticeship opportunities for Blackpool locals.
Alun Francis OBE, Principal and Chief Executive at Blackpool and the Fylde College, added: “The appointment of Morgan Sindall, who have an outstanding reputation within the education construction sector, is a critical milestone in the delivery of the Multiversity for the students and residents of Blackpool and the Fylde coast.
“The Multiversity will genuinely transform the opportunities for local people providing access to higher level skills, supporting local businesses in securing talent, and contributing to a vibrant town centre.”
The Multiversity is phase four of Blackpool Council’s £350m regeneration of the Talbot Gateway area around Blackpool North train station, which in total is bringing over 8,000 professional workers and students into the area.
The land for the new Multiversity is currently being acquired by Blackpool Council, with the support of a £9m Government grant while the construction was also awarded £40m from UK Government in 2023.