12 IN VIEW
LEARNING CURVE
ON A
NEW plans have been revealed to create a Skills and Cyber Campus of “national significance” in Blackburn.
A planning application has been submitted by Maple Grove Blackburn – a joint venture between Maple Grove Developments and Blackburn with Darwen Council.
Simon Jones, growth director at Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: “This is an opportunity for us to bring thousands of learners into our town centre every single year to enjoy state-of-the-art facilities.
“We’re already in talks with the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) to re-locate and expand their Training 2000 offer here, and what an opportunity this is.”
FUTURE NO LONGER ON THE LINE
In what can only be described as a good call, the refurbishment of Preston’s iconic red telephone boxes has been given the green light.
Work will now take place to restore the nine boxes on Market Street in the city centre so they can be used to house “creative installations”.
Designed by British architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott in 1932 to mark the silver jubilee of the coronation of King George V in 1935, the cast iron kiosks are the longest line of red telephone boxes in the UK and are Grade II listed.
In recent years the much-photographed kiosks, which sit outside the former Post Office building
partnership with local artists. John Bridge, from Studio John Bridge Architects, has provided architectural drawings for the phone boxes, which informed the application for Listed Building Consent.
He said: “I am delighted to have supported the council’s work in restoring these historic assets. As a proud Prestonian, I am passionate about the city’s cultural heritage and it will be great to see them brought back to life and safeguarded for future generations to enjoy.”
Chris Hayward, director of development and housing at the city council, said: “The red
The red telephone boxes are very special
to the city and are an iconic and unique piece of the city’s history
in the centre of the city, have been vandalised and have fallen into disrepair.
The boxes were acquired by the city council in 2021 and last December an application was submitted for Listed Building Consent for their refurbishment.
This project forms part of the wider Harris Quarter Towns Fund Investment Programme which was awarded £20.9m from the government’s national Towns Fund initiative in March 2021.
The council will now undertake the “necessary restoration” works to enable the phone boxes to be used for creative installations, working in
telephone boxes are very special to the city and are an iconic and unique piece of the city’s history.
“We are in a fortunate position to finally be able to restore them sympathetically and we hope to have some wonderful new uses for them in the near future, working with local businesses and the creative arts.”
The council will now go out to market for a specialist contractor to undertake the work.
It is anticipated that the restoration will start before the end of the year and it is anticipated that the phone boxes will be moved somewhere else while the work takes place.
PHONE BOXES’
The former Blackburn Market site in Brown Street has been earmarked for the campus development, which forms part of the £250m Blackburn Town Centre Masterplan.
The application seeks full permission to build the first building, together with public realm and new urban greenspace.
Outline planning permission is also being sought for a second building – both being very similar in design to those in the neighbouring Cathedral Quarter development.
Blackburn with Darwen has successfully secured £20m of levelling up funding towards the campus scheme.
Nick Hague, project director for Maple Grove Developments, said: “We’ve been working in partnership with Blackburn with Darwen Council for a number of years and are delighted to be supporting them in bringing forward this hugely ambitious and exciting project.
“The two new buildings, along with the fantastic public realm and landscaping, will transform this key gateway site into a world- class education and commercial quarter, supporting the wider regeneration plans for the town centre.
“The buildings will provide flexibility to the occupants, allowing them to adapt over time, responding to the ever changing business and academic world we live in.”
David Taylor, who chairs Training 2000, added: “The Skills and Cyber Campus represents a great opportunity for both UCLan and Training 2000 to expand their offer in east Lancashire.
“Although discussions are at an early stage, they represent an exciting opportunity.”
The scheme is also part of a drive to unlock the opportunities that the re-location of the National Cyber Force HQ to neighbouring Samlesbury will bring.
Blackburn with Darwen Hotspots Page 27
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