Blackpool's Hotel Indigo plan approved at 'forlorn' Post Office site

Blackpool Council’s planning committee unanimously approved an application from Ashall Projects to develop the Grade II listed building on Abingdon Street into a 148-room boutique hotel.

It is the fourth set of plans to come forward for the site, which also includes the former Edward Street sorting office, since the Post Office closed in 2007.

Councillors were told the condition of the building had deteriorated with significant water leaking into the building, the basement filled with water and gaping holes where some extensions had already been removed.

Coun Andrew Stansfield said the building was now in “disrepair”.

He added: “I do hope the developers are as serious as this application looks, and they do get on with the job and we get the building back to what it was.

“If it carries on much longer we could lose one of our historic buildings.”

Committee chairman Coun David Owen said: “We wish the developers well and hope it’s a success.

“It will be nice to see people using the building again which has been sadly forlorn for far too many years.

“It has had a chequered history in recent times with developers, but it looks as if this time the developer is serious in his intentions.”

Ian White, of hoteliers group StayBlackpool, told the meeting while he broadly welcomed the investment, it would be unfair if new hotel brands were offered discounted parking rates in car parks in the town if smaller b&bs were not.

Approval was granted for the demolition of the existing fourth floor roof extension to the former sorting office and demolition of various internal walls and structures to the courtyard and roof.

The scheme also includes construction of a three storey link extension, fourth floor roof extension and balconies to the former sorting office.

There will be a single storey and three storey rear extensions to the former Post Office and internal and external alterations to both buildings.

Vehicular access will be from Edward Street and there will be a pedestrian entrance from Abingdon Street, with the historic frontage of the building and the famous eight red phone boxes preserved.

The ground floor will include a restaurant, bar and gym with bedrooms on the ground, first, second, third and fourth floors, plus an outdoor terrace on the fourth floor.

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