Jewellery chain Beaverbrooks submit plans to move 300 staff to new headquarters in Lytham

Back in September, Beaverbrooks announced it was moving its headquarters from St Annes three miles down the road to Lytham, although they were keeping tight-lipped as to a specific location.

However plans have now taken a step forward as last week, the national jewellery chain submitted a planning application to Fylde Council for the former Axa Building on Ballam Road, which has been vacant since the insurance company closed its office doors in 2016.

The application is for a “change of use of offices (Use Class E(g)(i)) to mixed use comprising offices (Use Class E(g)(i)) and storage and distribution (Use Class B8) along with alterations to existing building to include replacement of windows, addition of new render, removal of existing tower feature, installation of a roof terrace within Block A, a single storey extension to the southern elevation to form a loading bay, the addition of escape stairwells at Block A, the installation of solar panels within the roof of Blocks B and C and the addition of a lift and step access, security gates, fencing and landscaping.”

The planning application form states that the new Beaverbrooks HQ will be home to 200 full time workers and 100 part time workers.

When asked if these numbers indicate a change to staffing levels, a spokesperson for Beaverbrooks said: "We can confirm that Beaverbrooks is moving from St Anne's to a new premises in Lytham, and see this as being a positive move for both our company and for jobs on the Fylde Coast. Due to ongoing contract negotiations, we are unable to comment further at this stage, but more information will be released when we are in a position to.”

In the planning documents, the 0.62 hectares large site will retain its five floors, the first of which, the ground floor, will be mainly warehouse.

The first and second floor will then contain an open plan office space with numerous meeting rooms, although part of the first floor space will also be a warehouse.

The third floor will be home to a cafe, canteen, kitchen and games room whilst the fourth appears to just be home to some toilets and storage space. 

There will also be no change to car parking spaces but 27 new cycle spaces will be added.

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Beaverbrooks, which celebrated its centenary in 2019, was founded by three brothers, Isaac, Harry and Maurice Adlestone, who opened their first store in Belfast before targeting the North West of England and basing in St Annes in 1946.

The Lytham site the brand now has their eyes on, the former Axa Building, has been vacant since 2016 and two former applications for the site have been rejected in the past.

The most recent application was to turn the building into 97 flats in November 2018, this was rejected due to highway safety concerns, whilst Fylde Council refused a similar application that July, due to both flooding and highway concerns.