Planning row over future of historic former Blackpool social club

Daneets Developments Ltd has lodged an appeal after being refused planning permission to build three flats inside the roof space of the former Duple Social Club building on Bond Street.

The property, whose Jacobean style design is visible above ground floor level, is locally listed because of its heritage value.

Planners approved a bid last year to convert the bulk of the building into seven flats following the demise of the social club.

But they rejected a further application for three more flats in the roof space saying “the proposed dormer windows and roof lights would harm the historic character and design of the building.”

Concern was also raised about the over-intensive nature of the development, and the lack of incentive to restore the ground floor which is in a neglected state.

A town hall planning report warns without comprehensive development which includes the ground floor properties, “it is likely that the applicant would just take the rents from them in the condition that they currently are in, and concentrate on raising new rents from the upper floors.

“There is no incentive for the applicant to address the poor state of the ground floor.”

But a design brief from the developer, accompanying the application, says the investment “will attempt to improve the area’s residential offering with a sympathetic design approach while maintaining the beautiful sandstone facade”.

It maintains the dormer windows “will harmonise with the local vernacular on Bond Street and Station Road” and adds the “design intends to provide comfortable living accommodation for the property’s occupants.”

An independent planning inspector will now consider the appeal.

The property was built in 1910 as a public meeting hall and retains many of the original features

The Duple Club had been on the site since 1966 and was founded as a social club for workers at the nearby Duple coach builders factory.

But by 2014 membership had fallen to around 170 people from around 400 four years before.

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