Morgan Sindall Construction has been appointed as the main contractor for Blackpool’s Multiversity project, a new £65m ($82.82m) educational campus set to transform the UK-based town centre.
The project is the fourth phase of Blackpool Council's £350m Talbot Gateway regeneration around Blackpool North train station.
The Multiversity, a mixed-use educational development, will bring approximately 3,000 students and staff to Blackpool.
This will allow Blackpool and the Fylde College to centralise operations currently spread across out-of-town facilities.
The land for the new campus is being acquired with a £9m government grant while the construction received £40m from the UK government in 2023.
Designed by Hawkins\Brown, the Multiversity will offer more than 70 courses, catering to a range of qualifications from further education to higher education and adult learning.
The development will be leased to the college.
Outline approval for the scheme was granted in April 2024, and a reserved matters application is expected to follow in the mid-year period.
Morgan Sindall Construction North West Area director Steven Gregory said: “We’re excited to be appointed to the Multiversity Campus project with Blackpool Council and the Blackpool and The Fylde College, which promises to deliver highly valuable benefits for the local community.
“Once complete, the campus will boost access to advanced skills for Blackpool’s resident and support the town centre’s wider regeneration.”
The proposed development includes two phases, with the initial focus on constructing an educational campus at the intersection of Cookson Street and George Street.
Future expansions are planned for the southern end of the site.
The project will deliver up to 32,600m² of educational and commercial space, starting with the new Multiversity building.
The main campus building is being designed to operate as carbon neutral, with George Street set to be landscaped and pedestrianised to create a safer environment for students and the local community.
Last month, Morgan Sindall Construction's Cardiff team was selected by the UK's National Health Service for the extension of the emergency department at Grange University Hospital in Cwmbran, Wales.
