Tenants supported to remain in Revoe during ongoing regeneration efforts have shared their experiences.
John and Vicky Dwyer, alongside parents Lizzy Pinder and Grant Ford, were all assisted in relocating as part of Blackpool Council’s masterplan to transform the Central Drive area.
They’ve all been able to stay in the immediate area, close to their community links.
Blackpool Council has lodged a hybrid planning application for a multi-million-pound regeneration project for Revoe. It plans to build new homes and create new green spaces, community facilities, flexible workspaces, and shops.
Under the proposals, 300 properties in a densely populated area will be demolished to make way for 230 energy-efficient homes. Council teams are offering support to anyone affected, including tenants, owner-occupiers, landlords and business owners.
Having a dedicated housing support worker made the process much smoother, John and Vicky Dwyer have said.
John, a retired roofer, said:
“Natasha [from the council’s housing support team] asked questions to understand better what we wanted and needed. She was somebody we could talk to and got everything sorted for us.”
Now the pair have moved out of a two-bed home on Montrose Avenue and into a three-bed property two streets away, close to Ibbison Court Community Centre.
This was especially important to Vicky, who runs a small children’s group out of the centre each week, and also works as a support worker for adults with disabilities locally.
She said:
“We’ve always been made to feel welcome in Revoe. When we moved here, I joined different charities in the area and started up my own, so I wanted to stay close by for that.
“Having to move was really stressful to begin with but now we feel like the lucky ones. I hope more people get the help that we had.”
Their new home also better meets John’s needs, who struggles with his mobility due to arthritis and osteoporosis.
He added:
“I’m not known for my patience but with Natasha, she’d always get us an answer and you knew where you stood with her. I can’t praise her enough.”
John and Vicky moved to Blackpool in 2010 after working in Tenerife: “We’d loved living by the sea so we thought we’d head to the coast again. It’s not a bad place Blackpool,” said John.
“This area’s got a bad reputation but there is a community and a lot of nice people, so it’s a shame to break that community up, but you have to do something with those old properties - you couldn’t sneeze without your neighbour hearing, and a lot had damp in too.”
Staying close to the community was just as important to parents Lizzy Pinder and Grant Ford. They had lived on Erdington Road with their three children for seven years.
While they were initially reluctant to move, the support they had from Blackpool Council’s team made the process much smoother, they said.
“Simon and Julie [from the housing team] were amazing, they’ve helped us a lot,” said Grant.
“We’d call them at all hours and they’d come out to support us and help us to find out what was what.
“They understood we needed to stay close to the children’s schools. Then when I lost my mum before Christmas, they were understanding and didn’t peck at us, they left us to it until we were ready to look at moving again.”
The couple are now living in a larger three-bed home with their two daughters, son, and the children’s grandpa.
Lizzy added:
“The new house is nicer - it’s bigger. And the children have settled into it well.”
Cllr Dave Flanagan, Blackpool Council’s cabinet member for housing, said:
“As John says, there’s a strong community around Central Drive and it’s a place that people want to make better - as Vicky’s doing at the community centre.
“Our plans to regenerate the area are all about further supporting that community. New and improved housing surrounded by green spaces and modern community facilities will bring a whole host of benefits.
“We understand the plans have caused anxiety though. That’s why our team - like Natasha, Simon and Julie - are working hard to support people in finding new homes or navigating property sales. As Grant attests to, they’re working with each household at their own pace, to find the right next step for them.
“I’m really pleased these two families have had a positive experience and we wish them every happiness in their new homes.”
Residents or landlords in the ‘red line’ area can engage with Blackpool Council by:
Calling: 01253 477477 (and asking for the central housing engagement team)
Emailing: housingcentralregen@blackpool.gov.uk
Or attending a drop-in session at Ibbison Community Centre, Central Drive – held every Tuesday 9am-4.30pm, Thursday 9am-12noon, or Friday 9am-1pm.
