A £30m new hotel on Blackpool Promenade looks set to win approval - as long as messy bedrooms are not on display.
The Singapore-based Fragrance Group is planning a 143-bedroom hotel on the site of he former St Chad's Hotel, which was demolished in May 2023. Blackpool Council’s planning committee is being recommended to approve the application.
Fears were raised about planned floor-to-ceiling windows that meant messy bedrooms could be on view to people on the Prom.
A council planning report warns: “Floor-to-ceiling windows are very popular in modern buildings, particularly in new hotels and other forms of residential accommodation. However, these allow the internal contents of the hotel rooms, such as unmade beds, to be viewed from the street.
“Based on experience elsewhere in Blackpool, this could detract significantly from the appearance of the building, particularly on such a prominent position on the Promenade.”
So planning approval will include a condition that obscure film is attached to the lower section of any full-length windows. The hotel bedrooms would be on the upper floors with a bar and restaurant on the ground floor.
Some 14 objections have been received to the planning application from properties including on Woodfield Road, Wellington Road, and St Chad’s Road.
Concerns include the lack of parking, with only 28 parking spaces proposed, increased traffic congestion and the height of the new building leading to loss of light at nearby properties.
After talks with town hall planners, the application has been reduced to 143 bedrooms within a five and six-storey building, compared to initial proposals for 184 rooms in a seven-storey block. Council officers say it is now common for Promenade hotels to offer only limited parking, with guests expected to use nearby public car parks or public transport.
A report to the committee, which is due to meet on Tuesday, April 9, says: “The proposed hotel would be well designed and would help to regenerate this area of the Promenade and the wider resort as a tourism destination, and this weighs significantly in favour of the scheme.
“The scale of the building would have no greater impact on residential and visitor amenities of surrounding properties that St Chad’s Terrace which previously occupied the site. On-site car parking would be limited but managed and the site is in a highly accessible location.”
Don't miss the latest news and analysis with our regular North West newsletters - sign up here for free.
