• Design lights the path to Bright Promenade

SHAFTS of light bouncing off clouds and a laser-generated zebra were announced today as the inspiration for Blackpool’s multi-million pound new seafront.

Regeneration bosses have chosen Northern Lights as the winner of a global design competition to come up with ideas which will now make up a submission for £21m of Lottery funding. London-based LDA Design beat off rival bids featuring a giant snow dome, performing flamingo sculptures, an artificial sun and a giant red ribbon which would have linked the six new headlands being built.

Their aerial light show, influenced by the natural phenomenon of the Aurora Borealis, will be visible from the M6 15 miles away.

Robert Aspland, associate director of LDA Design, said: “The brief for the project, dubbed the People’s Playground, called for something which would excite and amaze residents and visitors alike, the creation of a place of escape and fantasy.

“Inspired by the otherworldiness of Gulliver’s travels and the strange landscapes of Japanese animated film, we have created an incredible surreal dunescape which will become a playground for all. At dusk a virtual landscape will emerge from the dunes and high above this a spectacular and unique aerial light show will be created – the Northern Lights.”

Blackpool has received around £73m for new sea defences and promontories along 3.2km of its Promenade. A successful Lottery bid will fund world class attractions on the headlands, the first of which is nearly complete. The headland in front of The Tower will be big enough to hold 18,000 people for special events such as the Illuminations switch-on.

Doug Garrett, chief executive of regeneration company ReBlackpool, said the public had played their part in choosing the winner. Designs were displayed in the Solaris Centre on South Promenade, and some supermarkets.

He said: “The judging panel has had to work very hard to pick a winner – thankfully we were able to enlist the help of Blackpool residents whose feedback at public exhibitions was invaluable.”

ReBlackpool will now work with LDA Design, and its partners Speirs and Major Associates and lighting artist Chris Levine and Gardiner and Theobald, in finalising its submission to Big Lottery’s Living Landmarks Programme. The programme is awarding £140m to initiatives aimed at inspiring communities.
Projects that LDA Design has worked on include Scarborough Harbour, the renewal of Swindon town centre, and the Eastside quarter in Birmingham.

• The Gazette's online vote

Here are the results from an online vote featured on the Blackpool Gazette's website in the lead up to the choice for the People's Playground;

• more pictures

Click one of the four pictures above to view a larger version in a new window (turn off popup blockers)

• photo gallery from the people's playground proposal

Click here to view the mini People's Playground Photo Gallery, published on the newspaper website to go along with the original People's Playground story.