Flagship Sainsbury's supermarket in Blackpool fails to impress planners with bid to update front of store
Supermarket giant Sainsbury's has had plans to install a public art feature on the front of its Blackpool town centre store vetoed by town hall planners.
Planning applications by the retailer for a piece of ocean-inspired artwork and nine advertising panels wrapping around the ground floor of the supermarket on Talbot Road have been refused by Blackpool Council.
The company had said it wanted to make the changes to combat repeated vandalism of the existing windows. But both applications were refused by planning officers using their delegated powers as they were judged to be 'poor quality design'.
Sainsbury's had proposed to install an ocean-inspired backdrop, with weathered steel columns in front echoing the steelwork at Blackpool Tower, and at varying heights to mimic the Big Dipper.
In a letter accompanying the application, planning consultants Alder King said this "will be an attractive art piece that will enhance the public realm of Blackpool’s Central Business District, providing an installation that has both form and function."
It added the scheme would also protect the glazing from vandalism as "due to the building’s design and the thermal properties of the specialist glass, replacing broken panes is not a simple process."
Hoardings have been surrounding the supermarket for around a year since the proposals were first put forward in autumn 2023.
But planners warned the scheme, which was seeking planning permission and advertisement consent, "would entirely obscure views into the otherwisetransparent ground floor".
A report setting out the decision, says; "The two elements together would completely obscure the ground floor façade in complete contradiction of theoriginal design ethos of the building."
It said this was contrary to design policies for the area "where Talbot Road is identified as a key resort gateway and could impact on the ability to securefurther investment into this strategically important area."
The flagship Sainsbury's store opened in 2014 as part of the £70m first phase of the Talbot Gateway, which also includes the Bickerstaffe House council offices and the refurbished Talbot Road car park. Brands contained within the store also include Habitat and Argos.