Defunct Blackpool club to be redeveloped despite warnings there are 'too many flats'

Proposals to redevelop a building on the corner of Bond Street and Station Road, which housed the Duple Club, into seven two and three bedroom apartments have been granted planning permission by Blackpool Council.

But objectors to the application say the area in South Shore already has enough of the type of housing which tends "to attract a transient community".

Tracey Wilson, of Station Road, added in documents submitted in response to the plan: "In the past we have had numerous issues with tenants of flats in this road."

Hotelier Jane Farbrother added: "We are overrun with one and two bedroom flats in Station Road. Two hotels are currently being converted on our street, with no parking facilities in place and this will add to the problem."

She added while the club had closed, other businesses were trading on the ground floor which were key to the community.

But planners said the application had been revised to remove all the one-bedroom flats and would bring a locally listed building back into use. It was felt the mix of homes was now acceptable.

The application was submitted by Danny Singh of Daneets Developments, based in Cheadle Hulme.

A design statement said the building was unviable as commercial premises, having been empty for two years.

It adds: "The building externally will stay the same but the refurbishment for a change of use to apartments will bring the first floor area back in use as individual apartments. The works will primarily be internal with no changes to either of the frontages."

The property, which was built around 1905, was sold at auction for £225,000.

The Duple Club had been on the site since 1966 and was founded as a social club for workers at the nearby Duple coach builders factory.

But by 2014 membership had fallen to around 170 people from around 400 four years before.