Blackpool ranked second in UK for eyesore buildings, new study reveals
Data shows Blackpool has one of the highest numbers of rundown buildings in the UK, but the council says action is being taken to fix the problem
Last updated 29th Oct 2025
Blackpool has come second in an unwanted league table – for the city or large town with the biggest number of unsightly eyesore buildings..
New data has revealed the UK cities issuing the most Section 215 Notices since 2020, highlighting the worst hotspots for neglected commercial buildings.
The resort is second only to London in the new study, with run down and derelict commercial properties bringing the town down, in the town centre, and from North Shore to south Shore.
But Blackpool Council says it has the issue in its sights and is working to deal with it.
The study, from leading sign manufacturing and installation company Lavastar, used Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to source the number of Section 215 Notices – formal warnings that require property owners to tidy up unsightly or decaying land and buildings – since 2020.
A Section 215 Notice is a legal notice issued by a local planning authority under Section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (UK).
It’s used when the condition of land or buildings is considered detrimental to the amenity of the area, for example, if a property is neglected, overgrown, or unsightly.
The data found that Blackpool Council issued 43 of the notices over the past five years for Shop Front/Building Fronts, well behind London (78) but ahead of other leaders Coventry (41) and Doncaster Metropolitan (34).
Cllr Paula Burdess, Blackpool Council Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Neighbourhoods & Street Scene, said: “Empty properties, both residential and commercial, are a national problem and Blackpool suffers from its fair share. “
“Many of the commercial empty properties have complex intricate title histories and have been sold numerous times without completing the required legal steps to register official legal ownership. This makes the identification of legal ownership complex and difficult which in turn hinders enforcement.
“That said Blackpool Council are working hard to remedy these problem properties which blight our communities and hinder our economic growth.
“Over the last 12 months, we have implemented a robust strategy which focuses attention towards utilising all the statutory tools we have to tackle this problem.”