Vote on Major Blackburn Education Campus Plan set for decision by borough planners next Thursday. The proposed development comprises a five storey building accommodating Training 2000 and the University of Central Lancashire, whose ground floor café would be accessible to the public at large. Outline permission is also being sought for a second, adjacent building to be used for education and research.
In addition, the urban park will be part of the site. This will be on land which previously housed Blackburn Market and borders Brown Street, Ainsworth Street, and Penny Street. Council developers in collaboration with Maple Grove developed this proposal which has only recently been recommended for approval subject to final delegations.
The planners have recognized that this development will involve loss of 172 car parking spaces currently provided in Brown Street car park. However, they have emphasized that the car park was only built to be a temporary solution and hence 183 car parking spaces will be still intact.
This is an important project, and Strategic Director for Growth and Development Martin Kelly has said: “This is the biggest development of its kind in the region and forms a key part of a £250 million investment plan for Blackburn town centre. It is a core component of the council’s strategic Growth Axis ambitions in the Local Plan which seeks to connect key development sites and growth corridors right across the borough.”.
The first stage of the Blackburn Business Innovation District’s skills and education campus will be partially funded by £20 million from the levelling-up initiative led by the government. Training 2000 will also relocate to this new site. Kelly said, “This proposal is an integral part of the Business Innovation District. It will sustain the production of 1,200 new jobs, 400 new homes, and £1 billion in economic activity over the next decade-everything necessary for the borough’s economic development.”.
There are concerns over noise interference with the family court matters being held at the Victoria Street court centre. Paul Russell from the Blackburn Family Hearing Centre has not objected in writing but requested the construction to minimize noise generation to their minimum levels that would interfere with the hearings when on. The judiciary will approach the construction party and look for ways of regulating excessive noise and minimizing the disruption of the hearings.
Read Molre: https://theeducationview.com/
