Bairstow Street, Blackpool
Historic townscape characterisation in Blackpool
As part of council-led plans to regenerate Blackpool, AHP recently completed six historic townscape characterisation studies in the seaside resort. We assessed the heritage value and historic character of large areas of the town, including the whole of the promenade and, behind this, grids of densley-developed streets.
Blackpool’s historic role as Britain’s largest holiday destination created the town’s unique heritage of entertainment, retail and hotel buildings. Changing leisure patterns in the last 40 years led to a decline in the resort’s fortunes and prompted the Council to develop initiatives to transform the town into an attractive destination for today’s visitors.
The project reviewed historic buildings in six study areas, assigning significance to each building and recommending the best examples for a new local list. Understanding the historic environment will enable the Council to protect and make the most of the town’s heritage as part of the regeneration programme. (Only a small area of the town is currently designated a conservation area and the number of listed buildings is well below average.)
As part of the fieldwork, AHP used GIS technology to allow the council rapid access to the data as it was generated. Consultation with councillors and other stakeholders was key to the success of the project.