Training ground location

JJpool

Well-known member
So I was wondering about this and it comes up against one of the issues Blackpool has, the lack of space within its boundary available.

Heres the issue...

''Documents also refer to the club’s desire to relocate its training ground away from Squires Gate and say it is “seeking a location in the heart of Blackpool but has not been able to identify a suitable site.”

That from the gazette.

There just isn't the space within the heart of Blackpool for such a facility.

You look at Fleetwood poolfoot farm and its a fairly big site. To get anything near that or even smaller you aren't going to get it where they want it, which is accessible to the whole town in the heart.

20210708_230345.jpg

There's a couple of places but barring that you'd have to be outside of Blackpool.

20210708_230809.jpg

You look at the green area off school Road there and thats a big space where such a facility could be, however technically outside the Blackpool boundary again but like Whitehills business Park with b and q etc, it's outside but still classed as Blackpool, its still FY4 and addresses are still for Blackpool.

A separate issue but Blackpool should be able to expand its boundary to make up most of FY4 and FY3 so it can expand and grow properly as a town.

Anyway, only really common edge could provide the space for the facility inside Blackpool.

So what will the club do? What can they do? Does it have to be in Blackpool or is FY4 or FY3 still count as it does for those businesses there? Does it matter?

I dont see how they can achieve their goal of in the heart of Blackpool or to be honest even within Blackpool itself.
 
I think they are keen for it to be within Blackpool boundaries because of their partnership with Blackpool Council and their community work in Blackpool. But Blackpool Council cannot just unilateraaly increase it boundaries and I am sure both Fylde Council and Lancashire County Council would oppose it.
 
I think they are keen for it to be within Blackpool boundaries because of their partnership with Blackpool Council and their community work in Blackpool. But Blackpool Council cannot just unilateraaly increase it boundaries and I am sure both Fylde Council and Lancashire County Council would oppose it.
It must have happened before though as Blackpool grew over the years....

The town has outgrown its boundary now so its should be able to do something.

If a company wants to come and build a warehouse for eg but could only do it in fy4 outside the Blackpool boundary does that not create an issue, does the council tax not go elsewhere and not to Blackpool Council and therefore not benefit Blackpool?

Is this not one of the issues in not being able to expand and create wealth in the area?

Building something just outside will still benefit the town and basically is expanding the town but its not something Blackpool Council will be behind, being outside their area.

I dont know just seems a limiting factor...
 
They have identified a few sites. A bid has gone in to the council.
So off school Road which isn't in the heart and actually goes outside the boundary.

Common edge area but not in the heart.

Or this area beyond herons reach golf course...

20210708_235707.jpg

Looking at poolfoot its over 100,000 Square meters and i just dont see that sort of space in Blackpool.
 
A-level history 2050. "Discuss Blackpool's Expansionist Policy into Lancashire in the Early 21st Century"

Of course they can't expand the boundaries because they are full. That's not how it works. The surrounding council areas are more than happy to facilitate development on the boundaries, and reap the benefits.
 
A-level history 2050. "Discuss Blackpool's Expansionist Policy into Lancashire in the Early 21st Century"

Of course they can't expand the boundaries because they are full. That's not how it works. The surrounding council areas are more than happy to facilitate development on the boundaries, and reap the benefits.
Well in most areas its not as much of an issue as most towns have much bigger boundaries.

I read about in the us cities expanding their limits wasn't sure if at all possible.

The problem is were basically full and Blackpool Council will keep obviously building within and destroying what little green space we have left and any projects outside still benefit the town in many ways, but no extra council tax to be spent in Blackpool....

So Whitehills business Park for eg being outside the boundary technically is not as much a benefit to Blackpool as it could be inside?
 
A-level history 2050. "Discuss Blackpool's Expansionist Policy into Lancashire in the Early 21st Century"

Of course they can't expand the boundaries because they are full. That's not how it works. The surrounding council areas are more than happy to facilitate development on the boundaries, and reap the benefits.
A couple of interesting articles here so seems its possible....

'It added: “There is a case to seek expansion of the outer boundary to basically follow the line of the A5/A49/proposed NWRR line.
“This would allow for better development planning for infrastructure, the ability to represent those residents who will inevitably see that they live in Shrewsbury and will wish to access Shrewsbury infrastructure.”

So should be no different for Blackpool, people living near b and q are basically in Blackpool, accessing the infrastructure and see themselves as in Blackpool.


 
Last edited:
I grew up in Normoss, just over the border into Wyre. If you walk up from Staining Road End you're in Fylde, and if you walk to Heron's Reach the Blackpool border goes straight through some of the houses! So, if there's no available space in Blackpool itself, a training ground in Wyre or Fylde would be fine by me, as long as it's close to the Blackpool boundary. Also, Blackpool Council used to have a Portakabin office (Westcliffe House?) near the airport inside the Fylde Council area!
 
I’m sure the club have identified the site they want by now. It might not be exactly what they wanted, either in size or location, but I doubt they’ve been sat in the boardroom all this time scratching their heads.
 
Blackpool has always been tightly drawn as a local authority because it’s neighbours don’t want anything to do with it. That’s why you have ‘Lytham St Anne’s’ and ‘Thornton Cleveleys’ — the nearby towns merging so they could retain independence … when in actual fact they’re just sending most of the decisions to be made at County Hall in Prest*n. A ‘city of the Fylde’ covering everywhere from Lytham to Fleetwood and taking in Kirkham etc would make a lot of sense but will probably never happen …
 
I grew up in Normoss, just over the border into Wyre. If you walk up from Staining Road End you're in Fylde, and if you walk to Heron's Reach the Blackpool border goes straight through some of the houses! So, if there's no available space in Blackpool itself, a training ground in Wyre or Fylde would be fine by me, as long as it's close to the Blackpool boundary. Also, Blackpool Council used to have a Portakabin office (Westcliffe House?) near the airport inside the Fylde Council area!
I grew up on Newton Drive and the house I lived in, when it was built in the 1930s, was the last house in Blackpool. The boundary did get extended by a couple of hundred metres to where it is now. UTMP
 
If it’s going to be in the heart of Blackpool, surely that means it’ll be in Layton, which we all know is the ‘real’ heart of the town.
 
What happened to the project of using the land that is currently Stanley Park GC?
I know about the “amusements/thrill rides” and accommodation proposal but it’s a big enough area for a training ground too.
 
I grew up on Newton Drive and the house I lived in, when it was built in the 1930s, was the last house in Blackpool. The boundary did get extended by a couple of hundred metres to where it is now. UTMP
Interesting, so it does indeed happen.

The main part to change would be around fy4 and fy3 boundary, thats where the space is.

Its a bit like the houses near Squires Gate, you wouldn't say oh im in stannes.

Its the Blackpool built up area but the issue is anything outside doesn't generate the money it would inside to be spent in Blackpool where its needed most.

Blackpool has always been tightly drawn as a local authority because it’s neighbours don’t want anything to do with it. That’s why you have ‘Lytham St Anne’s’ and ‘Thornton Cleveleys’ — the nearby towns merging so they could retain independence … when in actual fact they’re just sending most of the decisions to be made at County Hall in Prest*n. A ‘city of the Fylde’ covering everywhere from Lytham to Fleetwood and taking in Kirkham etc would make a lot of sense but will probably never happen …
To me this is one of the reasons that Blackpool is at the bottom of some lists, if you build new houses outside the area for more affluent people than some of the ones bringing the average down that we have, that would offset in some way any poorer areas, but obviously they count towards fylde or wherever.

Having nowhere to expand is a limiting factor and Blackpool council should do all they can to expand the boundary, no idea of the process though, but to me this in part is contributing to the stagnation of Blackpool imo and not allowing it to prosper fully.

When you look at business on Whitehills its all a blackpool listed address, I wonder if its happened there already or if its just money not coming back through Blackpool Council...

It's also a part of expanding the town and population, for eg building a pool fanbase.

Its nautual if people say I'm from Blackpool to feel more affiliation with it, so this is another area Blackpool suffers compared to other towns with much bigger boundaries.

There's land in FY4 and FY3 that should be classed as Blackpool and where future expansion should be proposed imo.
 
Last edited:
This goes back to the thread about Stanley Park Golf Course , I really didn’t realise how little green space we have to use as locals , the council should be ashamed of themselves !
True but again comes back to the issue of space, there's nowhere to go so obviously they will only build inside and that'll only reduce it more and more which is why it shouldn't be allowed to be as constrained as it is boundary wise.
 
True but again comes back to the issue of space, there's nowhere to go so obviously they will only build inside and that'll only reduce it more and more which is why it shouldn't be allowed to be as constrained as it is boundary wise.
A location has been sorted as far as I know and it looks as if a bit of mutual tickling is going on to get it done. I think it's a fair way off yet though, as I'm 99.9% certain Public Consultation will be needed and it could go all the way to Westminster.

I'm of the opinion that it would be better, quicker and more acceptable to acquire some of the airport land and expand there. I don't get the 'within Blackpool borders' when at least 50% of home fans are from outside FY1- FY4.
 
Who owns the land (that the scum were going to build that estate at the rear of the harbour )off mythop road surely that would be enough space ?
 
A location has been sorted as far as I know and it looks as if a bit of mutual tickling is going on to get it done. I think it's a fair way off yet though, as I'm 99.9% certain Public Consultation will be needed and it could go all the way to Westminster.

I'm of the opinion that it would be better, quicker and more acceptable to acquire some of the airport land and expand there. I don't get the 'within Blackpool borders' when at least 50% of home fans are from outside FY1- FY4.
Yeah true and to a lot technically living outside and will see it as Blackpool anyway, but there are limits it creates like as mentioned less money for Blackpool Council and meaning the council keep building in its limited space and reducing green areas more and more.
 
Why not bulldoze Bloomfield Road and build the training facility there? That way a mega stadium with easy access to the M55 could be built, give it a sliding roof and a sliding pitch, if only Sadler were a man of vision eh!
 
This was a target site but the club have decided it's too small for what they want to do. They are looking long term with this project and future expansion is in mind. This site doesn't meet the needs further down the line.
It would be big enough if they could build to the west of that area as well.
 
This was a target site but the club have decided it's too small for what they want to do. They are looking long term with this project and future expansion is in mind. This site doesn't meet the needs further down the line.
Yeah would only be approx 70, 000 square meters as mentioned Fleetwood is probably well over 100,000.

Also the area is very close to the Marton mere conservation area.
 
Blackpool has always been tightly drawn as a local authority because it’s neighbours don’t want anything to do with it. That’s why you have ‘Lytham St Anne’s’ and ‘Thornton Cleveleys’ — the nearby towns merging so they could retain independence … when in actual fact they’re just sending most of the decisions to be made at County Hall in Prest*n. A ‘city of the Fylde’ covering everywhere from Lytham to Fleetwood and taking in Kirkham etc would make a lot of sense but will probably never happen …
I previously did an OP on that TKL. Similar to Stoke or Wakefield, both 'cities' made up of 5 towns.
Surely a high population of both Wyre & Fylde feel more of an allegiance to Blackpool than Preston town hall. A population of around 350k would certain give the City of Fylde more clout.
 
Back
Top