Preparation work is set to begin on the site of a new world-class higher education campus in Blackpool town centre.

The ‘Multiversity’ campus for Blackpool and The Fylde College will bring up to 3,000 students and staff into a new learning environment in Cookson Street.

Demolition and clearance of the site will take place in phases over the next nine months, preparing for construction to start next year.

Set to open in 2027, the £65m initiative – including £49m of government investment through the Levelling Up Fund — is the latest phase of Blackpool Council’s £350m Talbot Gateway regeneration scheme.

Located in the heart of the town, it will serve as a hub for degree-level learning, innovation and enterprise while bringing new life, energy, and opportunity to Blackpool’s business district.

The five-storey, 115,000sq ft campus will deliver more than 70 higher education courses in a sustainable, inclusive, and inspiring environment.

The carbon-neutral building will have rooftop solar panels, air source heat pumps, and extensive use of glass to maximise natural light.

A new landscaped public square will further enhance the area.

But the Multiversity is more than just a physical space – it represents a new model for delivering higher education.

Powered by cutting-edge technology and flexible, future-facing delivery, it will create multiple entry points for students from all backgrounds to gain the qualifications needed for success in the regional economy and beyond.

Councillor Lynn Williams, leader of Blackpool Council, said: “The Multiversity is a major part of our plans to make Blackpool better, replacing the very poor housing and benefiting the area and town centre.

“The creation of a new college campus with thousands of students will not only brighten up the area considerably, but will provide a massive economic boost to the town centre and create more jobs for Blackpool people.”

Alun Francis, chief executive of Blackpool & The Fylde College, added: “It’s really exciting to see the preparatory works for the Multiversity getting underway.

“This project will regenerate a strategically-important part of Blackpool town centre – and it will also launch a new model for delivering more-flexible higher education that is better aligned to ‘real-world’ market intelligence and student demand.

“The Multiversity will ultimately provide a range of new routes for learners that will boost local opportunities, social mobility, and lead to highly-skilled occupations that meet regional needs.”

The Multiversity will include five floors of education space to deliver more than 70 individual courses and enhance the college’s existing higher education provision which is directly linked to local employment needs.

It will also support a wide range of qualifications, from further education, through to higher education and adult learning.

Manchester-based Morgan Sindall Construction will manage the demolition and build.

Steven Gregory, North West area director for Morgan Sindall, said:

“Starting work on the Multiversity Campus marks a major step forward in delivering transformative benefits for Blackpool’s residents and town centre.

“This landmark development will open up new pathways to advanced skills and help drive wider regeneration in the heart of the town.

“As construction gets underway, the Morgan Sindall team remains focused on working with local partners to help generate lasting social and economic value throughout the build programme.”

In addition to the first phase Multiversity campus, a second phase on the site will allow expansion space for the college’s future plans which are in development.

In the short term, the space will be used as a temporary car park.

Avison Young have led as the planning consultants for the Multiversity, along with architects Hawkins\Brown and advisers CBRE.

The Multiversity makes up 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.

A new 4 star 144-bedroom Holiday Inn hotel and Marco Pierre White New York Italian restaurant opened last year, alongside a tram-train interchange linking to Blackpool Promenade.

A new town centre office for the Department of Works and Pensions has brought over 3,000 government workers into a new office opposite the Multiversity site, while construction has started on a new government office building for an additional 1,100 employees. Plans for another multi-storey car park on King Street are expected to be submitted this year.

The land for the new Multiversity is being acquired with the support of a £9m Government grant, while the construction was also awarded £40m from UK Government in 2023.