MoD to occupy resort's new six-storey office block

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is planning to transfer more than 1,000 jobs to Blackpool.

The move, also confirmed by Blackpool Council, will be at the heart of the Talbot Gateway regeneration scheme in the Lancashire seaside resort.

The council had previously released an artist's impression of the new six-storey office building - which will be funded by the MoD - but had not said who was going to occupy it.

Council leader Lynn Williams said the "marvellous" news would create jobs for the town's residents.

No timeline has yet been announced either for the construction of the large office block, or when jobs will transfer to Blackpool.

The multimillion-pound Talbot Gateway regeneration has already seen the opening of a £100m building for more than 3,000 Department for Work and Pensions staff.

Williams said working with the MoD had been "a long, ongoing process" but Blackpool had shown to be a "good partner".

She added: "We're going to build a new car park, but we've also got a modern transport system - trams, buses, trains - and we want to encourage people to not necessarily bring the car in."

She said more jobs in the town centre "increases footfall and that's great for local businesses".

Williams said it would also "bring a feeling of positivity from an investment point of view, and [would] attract other businesses" to Blackpool.

The government recently announced plans to cut the number of civil servants working in London by 12,000 and to transfer jobs to new regional "campuses" across the UK.

The planned new 53,000 sq ft (16,154sq m) building will house up to 1,100 staff from Defence Business Services (DBS).

The MoD said DBS "provides corporate services across the information and technology, finance, procurement and people function to the whole of Defence, including serving military, veterans and civilian staff, as well as other government departments".

DBS representatives signed the contract in March and a ground-breaking ceremony took place last week.

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