Blackpool Council and The Blackpool Pride of Place Partnership has brought together a group of leaders from business, the public sector and the local community to create a ‘Digital Vision’ for Blackpool.
In a world where digital is a key enabler, the partnership wanted to create a vision, with a road map to enable Blackpool to become the smartest and best-connected town in the UK.
Workshops were recently held to to build a plan for the digital economy to improve the socio-economic outcomes for Blackpool. The workshops explored how to:
- Build on Blackpool’s key digital infrastructure so it becomes a catalyst for transformation
- Shape Blackpool’s digital narrative as one that develops, nurtures, and attracts employment and industry
- Strengthen economic growth
- Map Blackpool’s digital economy to evolve and thrive post COVID-19
- Create better lives
Riding the digital wave
The 2030 Digital Vision created was entitled: ‘Riding the digital wave to economic and social prosperity’
Representatives from the community, health, transport, education and business, pooled together ideas for the resort’s digital future, with a focus on improving citizen’s digital literacy, supporting tech start-ups and ensuring access to affordable high-speed broadband for all Blackpool residents.
Due to £3.1m of government funding (DCMS), Fibre Blackpool is a co-operative project, sharing resources to expand a Local Full Fibre Network (LFFN) giving an improved broadband internet connection to residents and businesses. Visit Fibre Blackpool for more information and to register your interest.
It also seeks to capitalise on the installation of the North Atlantic Loop, a sub-sea fibre-optic cable connecting the UK to New York and mainland Europe. The cable provides internet between Blackpool and Dublin, New York, London and northern Europe at incredible speeds.
The council is now using the proximity to the cable at Blackpool Enterprise Zoneto create Silicon Sands, a carbon friendly industrial park powered by data centres, which could create thousands of highly skilled jobs across the Fylde Coast.
The ‘Digital Vision’ sets out an ambitious plan for the next four years, which aligns with the 2030 Town Prospectus, published by the Blackpool Pride of Place Partnership.
This is all part of a vision for Blackpool to be a thriving coastal community by 2030.
If you or your business are interested in taking part in further sessions to be held over the summer, then please contact Chelsea.Brown@bitc.org.uk.
More information about Blackpool's Digital Strategy