Industrial and warehousing development approved at Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone

Developers have offered to include bus link provision

A massive development at Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone has been given the green light by planners – and looks set to spark a jobs bonanza for the Fylde coast.

And the developers have even offered to include a bus link provision to ensure all aspects of transport connections are included in the scheme.

The application was for the erection of eight buildings within business, industrial, storage and warehousing uses and a retail and café use, on land bounded by Amy Johnson Way, Common Edge Road, Jepson Way, School Road and Blackpool Airport.

It went before Blackpool Council’s planning committee last night (Tuesday March 24), where councillors unanimously approved the scheme.

The session was forced to go ahead in another council chamber after protesters over an unrelated housing issue forced the committee to temporarily adjourn proceedings.

After the meeting, committee member, Cllr Julie Sloman, said: “The members were unanimous in backing this project.

“It is a major development for Blackpool, with the prospect of attracting businesses to the area and plenty of new jobs to come with them.

“Not only that, but during the construction phase there will be plenty of other jobs too.

“It was vital the meeting went ahead – if it hadn’t this project would have been delayed and it is important we can get applications processed to avoid hold-ups, whatever they are.”

The proposals were approved just as a new spine road is nearing completion.

The new road is an £18.4m infrastructure project connecting Common Edge Road to the eastern side of the site. Built by George Cox & Sons, this 18-month project aims to unlock new development land, improve traffic flow with new lanes, and support the growth of the business park.

This latest application before the committee was a more detailed Reserved Matters planning submission on behalf of Blackpool Council, lodged by Cassidy and Ashton planning consultants and architects, after the authority’s planners approved an earlier outline application for the site.

The proposals included a changing places facility, associated access points to the development plots, service yards, landscaping, parking and boundary treatments, an Electric Vehicle charging facility on Amy Johnson Way and a link road between Jepson Way and the spine road.

The massive development site covers an area of land between Amy Johnson Way to the west and Common Edge Road to the east, extending to an area of 67,166sqm, with the eight individual plots varying in size.

The proposed new buildings will contain partial mezzanine floors to provide additional floorspace within the units.

A Design and Access Statement concluded: “The scheme represents a high-quality form of development which will sit comfortably with a range of businesses to this location.

“The development has been designed to complement its surroundings in terms of scale, massing and appearance whilst providing the space operationally required.”

The Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone (BAEZ) is a 144-hectare designated economic development area established in 2016 to create over 3,000 new jobs and attract 180+ businesses, primarily in advanced manufacturing, energy, and high-performance computing.

Centered around Blackpool Airport and Amy Johnson Way, it offers businesses tax incentives, 20 plus hectares of new commercial land, and superior infrastructure connectivity.

To find all the planning applications, traffic diversions, road layout changes, alcohol licence applications and more in your community, visit the Public Notices Portal.