Hopes 'major' airport plan will bring job boost

A "major development" that could attract more jobs to Blackpool's airport has been backed by planners.

Plans for eight new buildings that could be used for business, industrial storage, and retail have been approved on land bounded by Amy Johnson Way, Common Edge Road, Jepson Way, School Road and Blackpool Airport.

The proposals for the town's enterprise zone, approved just as a new spine road is nearing completion, were approved unanimously by Blackpool Council.

Councillor Julie Sloman said the plans had the "prospect of attracting businesses to the area and plenty of new jobs to come with them".

The new development site covers an area of land between Amy Johnson Way to the west and Common Edge Road to the east with the eight individual plots varying in size.

Sloman told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the construction phase of the project would also bring a jobs boost.

The proposed new buildings will contain partial mezzanine floors to provide additional floorspace within the units.

Blackpool Airport is already a hub for corporate aircraft, offshore helicopter support, and general aviation, alongside other facilities like engineering and refuelling services.

The airport did previously boast a larger passenger terminal which was used by airlines such as Jet2 when they operated holiday flights from Blackpool.

There were regular flights to Belfast and Barcelona from the terminal, but it was demolished in 2016 to make way for construction of the Energy College which stands on the site.

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