Blackpool hotel gets go-ahead for 74-room expansion as long row over impact on parking comes to an end

The planning committee approved an application to add another 74 bedrooms to the Hampton by Hilton on South Promenade last week.

The extension will be built on a public car park alongside the existing 130-room hotel.

But despite the plans including an additional 52 car parking spaces to the rear, some 21 people objected to the plans, citing inadequate parking in residential streets surrounding the hotel.

Squires Gate councillor Christian Cox said: "While the development of the Hampton by Hilton hotel has been a welcome addition in terms of the street scene and replenished a formerly derelict site. There has also been concerns around parking on nearby streets due to the shortage of available parking at busy times.

"While I welcome investment and further development to the area, I also share resident's concerns about the loss of the council car park on the site of the proposed development. The car park is well used and busy at weekends. The new hotel extension will inevitably result in more footfall in the area and I am concerned that there will not be sufficient parking for the increased number of guests."

Blackpool South MP Scott Benton and Waterloo ward councillors Derek Robertson and David O’Hara also submitted objections.

At a meeting earlier this month, Susan Parker, head of development control at the council, said a solution would be to introduce residents only parking in nearby streets which would cost £10,000 for a traffic regulation order.

This will be paid by Create Construction, a partner of Create Developments which delivered the original 130-room Hampton by Hilton Hotel in 2018.

A statement submitted on behalf of the company said: "Since the original building was completed in 2018, a high demand for rooms has led to Create Developments looking to increase the capacity of the Hotel.

"After exploring a number of options for extending the building including utilising the original site with a U-shaped block, it was decided the hotel would be extended along Bourne Crescent. This extension matches the height of the existing hotel and creates a modern interpretation of the original 1930s massing whilst maintaining an area for parking to the rear of the building. It also maximises the number of guest-rooms with sea views."