New plan revealed for former Blackpool hotel site

The Ambassador on North Promenade was bulldozed last November after it became structurally unsafe.

Now developer Ged O’Mahoney has applied to the council for planning permission to use the site as a car park for up to 38 vehicles for up to two years.

He says this will give him time to draw up new plans to build holiday apartments on the land while generating revenue.

Mr O’Mahoney had previously hoped to renovate the Ambassador and convert it into 17 apartments as part of proposals approved by the council last May.

A statement by Fylde-based Ben Jurin Architecture says: “Since then the former hotel, which was already severely dilapidated, fell into further disrepair due to severe storm weather.

“Subsequently Blackpool Council placed a demolition order on the building and in November/December 2020 the building was completely demolished.

“The owners of the site now have no building to redevelop and an unforeseen cost for the demolition.

“As such, this has left the current owners of the site with limited options, however plans have been drawn and a major application will be submitted for a proposed block of holiday apartments.”

The statement adds this could take months to develop leaving “the applicant having a vacant plot of land which is financially unviable and draining on resources.”

It is hoped using the site as a temporary car park will bring in revenue while the fresh plans are worked up.

The former Ambassador had been a magnet for vandals and intruders since it closed around eight years ago.

In 2018 it took firefighters two-and-a-half hours to control one blaze with 10 fire engines called to the scene at the height of the emergency.

The structure of the building deteriorated further due to the impact of weather conditions, forcing emergency demolition in November.

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