Former Blackpool Woolworths store earmarked for demolition

The building on the corner of Bond Street and Waterloo Road in South Shore, which was most recently occupied by Hartes Homestore, is locally listed by the council as a heritage asset.

But a planning application has been submitted seeking permission to demolish it and replace it with a 43-space car park.

A structural assessment of the building, in support of the application, says it would cost more than £87,000 to carry out all the repairs that are needed.

Deterioration uncovered by an engineer includes "a lack of lateral bracing to the structure" which is needed to protect the building from collapse.

The assessment adds: "The shop frontage on both Bond Street and Waterloo Road was found to be in a dilapidated condition.

"The timber was found to be suffering significant wet rot to the extent that two of the bays had additional temporary support added to prevent the glazing falling out into the high street."

Window frames were also described as rotten and as having suffered from vandalism.

Hartes ceased trading from the shop, which had been well known for its Christmas displays, in January last year after 25 years in order to focus on online sales.

The building opened in 1928 as Blackpool's second Woolworth's store before closing in 1994.

It has been locally listed by the council since 2013 which means it has been considered worthy of preservation which must be taken into account by planners when considering development proposals.

The application will go before planners at a future date.