Morgan Sindall picked to build £65m Multiversity

Blackpool’s proposed 350,000 sq ft skills hub has taken a step closer to reality following the appointment of a main contractor.

Morgan Sindall Construction has been selected to build the £65m Multiversity, located within the Talbot Gateway, close to Blackpool North train station.

The contractor prevailed in a two-way fight with VINCI for the job, which was procured via the Pagabo Framework.

Morgan Sindall’s bid “provided the best overall proposal for the project, and the most economically advantageous tender on balance of price, quality and social value”, according to a Blackpool Council report.

Steven Gregory, Morgan Sindall Construction’s North West area director, said: “We’re excited to be appointed to the Multiversity Campus project with Blackpool Council and the Blackpool and The Fylde College, which promises to deliver highly valuable benefits for the local community.

“Once complete, the campus will boost access to advanced skills for Blackpool’s residents and support the town centre’s wider regeneration,” he continued.

Gregory also described the social value initiatives that the firm will be undertaking during the delivery of the scheme

“The Morgan Sindall team is committed to maximising the social and economic value generated during the development,” he said. “This will be achieved in a number of ways, such as utilising local contractors and creating a Knowledge Quad to provide training and learning opportunities, such as hosting the Blackpool Community Skills Academy employability programme. We’ve also already partnered with Blackpool and The Fylde College to provide ongoing education support to help students become ‘work ready’.”

The Multiversity, which will be run by Blackpool and The Fylde Sixth Form College, was granted planning permission by Blackpool Council in April.

It is hoped that the scheme will go some way to closing the skills and productivity gap in the town and wider borough; 28.8% of Blackpool residents hold an NVQ4+ qualification, compared to the 43.5% national average.

The Multiversity, which has received £50m of government funding, would seek to close this gap by upskilling residents and helping them secure long-term jobs. The rest of the funding is coming from the council.

Outline consent was granted for the two-building project. The first phase would feature up to 221,000 sq ft (GIA) of education development. The second phase would see another 130,000 sq ft (GIA) of education or office space added.

The Multiversity would be leased by the council to Blackpool & Fylde College from April 2026.

Blackpool Council cabinet member for Levelling Up, Cllr Mark Smith, described the appointment of Morgan Sindall to the project as “another important step forward in what is a really exciting development for Blackpool’s future”.

He added: “The Multiversity campus will transform the area around the train station, adding thousands of students to the area which will bring a vibrancy but also an economic boost to surrounding businesses.

“For a development of this size, we needed a large construction company with a track record in delivering quality education campuses. As we have done with other major developments, we will also be ensuring a real commitment to social value, such as hiring local companies where possible, supporting local labour, and encouraging training and apprenticeship opportunities for Blackpool locals.

The project team features architect Hawkins\Brown, structural engineer Civic Engineers, services engineer and sustainability consultant KJ Tait, project manager and cost consultant CBRE, fire engineer Hydrock, acoustician Hydrock, facade engineer Fortis, planning consultant Avison Young, landscape architect Re-form, and environmental consultant Egnio.

To learn more about the scheme, search for reference number 23/0830 on Blackpool Council’s planning portal.