Blackpool airport sports facilities gets planning approval for project's kick off

Plans have been approved for phase two of the development for new sports facilities at the Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone, part of which is in the Fylde Borough.

It means the area to the east of the airport will get new changing rooms, a 3G sports pitch, a rugby pitch and a rugby training area as well as a 194-space car park on land off Common Edge Road in Marton.

Work will be carried out to improve access to the site and the nearby road will be widened and a footpath and cycleway installed to improve safety.

The new facilities will replace existing sports grounds and free up land for development as employment land as part of future phases of the Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone.

The proposed new sports facilities, designed by Preston architects Cassidy + Ashton, also include a new changing and spectator pavilion and reconfigured car parking to accommodate 194 cars.

The approved application is the second phase of planned improvements to the sporting facilities and comes after the 2020 approval for the creation of 12 grass pitches to the south of Division Lane.

The whole sports development will cover 14 hectares and forms part of the first stage of the £28.8m investment allocated for the redevelopment of the 144-hectare Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone.

Leader of Fylde Council, Karen Buckley, said: “I’m delighted that planning permission has now been granted by both Fylde and Blackpool Councils in time to prepare to host the European Youth Football Championships next year at this new state-of-the-art sports complex.

"It’s a fantastic opportunity to showcase all that the Fylde Coast has to offer with an annual event that could attract up to 1,000 youth teams from across the UK and Europe.”

Members of the public are currently being invited to comment on the enterprise zone's masterplan until Friday, July 2. It can be found at https://blackpoolez.com/have-your-say/

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