What the Latest £90m+ Regeneration Plans Mean for Property Investors, If you haven't looked seriously at Blackpool as a property investment location, it might be time to take a look.
In June 2026, Blackpool Council submitted plans for the first phase of a major regeneration programme centred around Central Drive.
Backed by £90.4 million of government funding secured through Homes England, the proposals include the demolition of up to 300 poor-quality properties and the creation of up to 230 new energy-efficient homes, alongside new shops, green spaces, community facilities and flexible workspaces.
But for property investors, the significance goes beyond the numbers. It is another indication of something much bigger happening across Blackpool.
Blackpool's Regeneration Is Becoming Difficult to Ignore
Across Blackpool, substantial public and private investment is changing the town's physical and economic landscape.
The £350 million Talbot Gateway regeneration around Blackpool North station is already delivering major change.
A new Holiday Inn and tram interchange opened in 2024. A 215,000 sq ft Department for Work and Pensions office followed in 2025, bringing around 3,000 staff into the town centre.
Construction has now started on the new Multiversity campus for Blackpool and The Fylde College. When it opens in 2028, it is expected to bring around 3,000 students, apprentices and staff into the town centre.
Further development includes a new government office for approximately 1,100 staff and a £17 million programme of improvements to town-centre access.
Taken together, this isn't simply cosmetic regeneration.
It has the potential to change how people live, work, study and spend time in Blackpool.
And that matters to property investors.
Why Blackpool Central Matters
For decades, one of Blackpool's biggest challenges has been the quality and density of some of its central-area housing.
The council's regeneration framework identifies issues including poor-quality housing, empty properties, overcrowding, limited green space and wider economic deprivation. The Central Drive scheme represents an attempt to tackle those problems at scale.
The first phase covers approximately 5.4 hectares just south of the town centre. The intention isn't simply to replace old properties with new ones. It is to create a fundamentally different residential environment, with better-quality homes, greener streets, improved public spaces and community facilities.
That distinction is important.
Regeneration works best when it changes the underlying attractiveness of a location rather than simply improving individual buildings.
So Does That Mean Investors Should Start Buying Around Central Drive?
Not necessarily. And this is where we think property investors need to be careful.
Regeneration does not automatically make a property a good investment.
In fact, buying purely because you've heard an area is "up and coming" can be a very expensive strategy.
The Central Drive proposals themselves involve significant property acquisition and demolition. The wider regeneration framework also envisages interventions including acquisition, remodelling, refurbishment, energy-efficiency improvements and selective demolition.
Investors therefore need to understand exactly where a property sits within current and future regeneration plans.
But major regeneration can change the investment dynamics of surrounding areas. And that is where things become interesting.
Follow the Investment – But Look Beyond the Boundary
One of the principles we use when assessing emerging property locations is to look at where significant investment is being concentrated. Not because every property close to a regeneration scheme will increase in value, but because investment can gradually change the fundamentals that drive property demand.
We look for things such as:
Employment. Are more people being brought into the area to work?
Education. Are students, apprentices and professionals being attracted into the town?
Transport. Is connectivity improving?
Housing quality. Is poor stock being removed or improved?
Public realm. Are streets, green spaces and amenities becoming more attractive?
Private investment. Is public spending beginning to encourage businesses and developers to invest alongside it?
Blackpool is currently seeing movement across several of these areas.
That makes it worthy of much closer attention.
What Could This Mean for Serviced Accommodation?
Blackpool is unusual because it isn't simply a residential property market. It also has one of Britain's largest visitor economies.
That creates different potential investment strategies, including traditional residential property, development and conversion opportunities, holiday accommodation and professionally operated serviced apartments.
Regeneration can strengthen those markets in different ways.
A better town centre, improved transport infrastructure, additional employment, new educational facilities and continued investment in the visitor economy can all potentially broaden demand beyond Blackpool's traditional leisure market.
That doesn't mean every property should become an Airbnb or serviced apartment. Far from it.
Planning, location, property type, demand, seasonality, operating costs and management all need to be considered before choosing the right strategy.
But it does mean investors should perhaps stop looking at Blackpool solely through the lens of the traditional seaside holiday market.
The Opportunity May Be in Repositioning Existing Property
One of the things that particularly interests us at Collaborise is underperforming property.
Blackpool has a substantial stock of older houses, guest houses, hotels and commercial buildings. Some will have limited investment potential.
Others may be fundamentally good buildings in locations where their current use, condition or configuration no longer represents their highest potential value.
That can create opportunities through:
Refurbishment
Reconfiguration
Planning gain
Conversion
Improved management
Repositioning into higher-quality accommodation
But the numbers still have to work. Purchase price, planning, build cost, finance, operating costs, demand and exit value all matter considerably more than an attractive headline about regeneration.
Blackpool Isn't a Speculative Bet
We don't believe the investment case for Blackpool should be:
"Buy something cheap and hope regeneration pushes the price up."
That's speculation.
A better approach is to identify assets that make commercial sense today, while recognising that wider regeneration could strengthen the location over the longer term.
That distinction is important to how we approach property at Collaborise. We look for opportunities where value can be created, rather than relying entirely on the market to create it for us.
Is Now the Time to Look at Blackpool?
We think it's certainly the time to pay attention.
Blackpool still has challenges. Some areas require significant regeneration, property selection is critical and investors need a good understanding of local planning and market dynamics. But that's also why opportunities can exist.
More than £90 million is being committed to transformational housing regeneration around Central Drive.
A £350 million regeneration programme is reshaping the area around Blackpool North.
Thousands of workers and students are being brought into the town centre.
And further investment in transport, housing, education and the visitor economy continues.
Blackpool isn't going to change overnight. But it is changing.
And for property investors prepared to do their homework, understand the local market and take a long-term view, that makes Blackpool a very interesting place to be looking right now.
Looking for Property Investment Opportunities in Blackpool?
Collaborise Property Group identifies and develops value-add property opportunities across Blackpool and the Fylde Coast.
Our focus is not simply on finding property. We look at how value can be created through acquisition, planning, refurbishment, repositioning and effective operation.
If you're considering investing in Blackpool and would like to explore opportunities with us, we'd be happy to start a conversation.