Long-closed former Taylor's store in St Annes set for new lease of life

Fylde Council’s planning committee has passed an application to convert the prominent premises in St Annes Square into ‘Sanctuary’.

The permission is subject to several conditions concerning the style of windows and doors and exterior light as well as bar serving hours but it means a new lease of life at last for the building which has been empty for almost seven years.

The JR Taylor department store at the corner of St Annes Road West and Garden Street closed its doors in January 2015 after more than a century of trading.

It also details plans for medical treatment and massage rooms on the first floor as well as a roof top bar on the third floor.

A spokesman for the St Annes Enetrprise Partnership said: "It’s fantastic news that this key site in the centre of St Annes will be coming back to life again.

"The exciting new plans offer the prospect of drawing more visitors and day trippers to the centre to spend money in our town.

"We wish them well with their redevelopment."

Fylde MP Mark Menzies has also welcomed the council approval for the scheme.

He said: “I’m pleased to hear planning permission has been granted to redevelop the former JR Taylor store in St Annes.

“There are still some finer details to be resolved but I view this as an important step towards bringing this prominent site back into use.

“This location is key to the regeneration of St Annes and it is good to see progress being made.”

When the plans were submitted Mr Menzies said: “It is incredible to see this level of investment and confidence in the town.”

Fylde Council leader Coun Karen Buckley said when the application was submitted: “The submission of a planning application for JR Taylors has been long-awaited.

“The redevelopment of this site is just what St Annes needs post-pandemic and will give the town a real boost.”

Coun Gavin Harrison, chairman of St Annes Town Council and also a Fylde councillor for Ashton ward, which includes the premises, said at the time of the plans being subnitted: “This is just the kind of forward thinking proposal the town needs.

“Hopefully we will be able to attract other developers with similarly attractive proposals to make St Annes a destination of choice for many years to come.”

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