New contractor signed for Blackpool court

Delayed plans for a new multi-million pound magistrates' court building in Blackpool are moving forward again after the appointment of a replacement contractor.

The new courthouse will be built at the junction of Devonshire Road and Talbot Road, replacing facilities lost after the closure of the Lancashire town's previous court.

Progress stalled when the original contractor, ISG, went into administration in 2024, leaving uncertainty over the future of the development and forcing cases to continue being heard elsewhere.

Councillor Julie Sloman said: "I do worry that victims of crime are having to travel out of area to receive justice."

His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has now confirmed a contract has been signed with Morgan Sindall Construction, allowing work on the scheme to restart.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the new courthouse was approved by Blackpool Council's planning committee in February 2024 after plans were submitted by the Ministry of Justice the previous year.

HMCTS said the detailed design phase was now under way and would provide a clearer understanding of the likely new construction timescales.

A spokesman said it remained "committed to delivering the new courthouse".

"Contingency plans to hold hearings at other sites within the region remain in place while the project to build a new courthouse progresses."

The need for a replacement court became increasingly pressing after the closure of Blackpool Magistrates' Court in November 2023 following the discovery of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).

For the past three years, defendants, lawyers and court staff have travelled to alternative courts, including Preston and Lancaster.

The former court building and the old Bonny Street police station were demolished in March 2025.

The clearance of the site paved the way for the wider £300m Blackpool Central regeneration scheme, a major leisure-led development in the town centre.

Funding for the new courthouse includes £40m from the Levelling Up Fund and £8m from the Town Deal.

Sloman said she hoped the design plans submitted within the original application for a "state-of-the-art aesthetically and ergonomically pleasing building, sympathetic to the very different needs of victims and defendants" would be reflected in the completed project.

"In terms of inconvenience to residents I do worry that victims of crime are having to travel out of area to receive justice, suffering a financial detriment and more importantly possibly without the support of their families and the familiarity of surroundings known to them."

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