South Prom apartments bid back before planners

Developers have scaled back the numberof apartments they want to build in a bid to appease residents who had objected to proposals for Harrow Place.

Revised plans have now been submitted to Blackpool Council which have seen the number of apartments reduced from 113 to 86, meaning the height of the building would rise to six storeys instead of eight.

A residential parking scheme is also proposed which would deliver one parking space per apartment.

The consortium behind the scheme had withdrawn the application after Blackpool’s planning committee raised concerns about the height of the building and parking provision.

Councillors deferred a decision on the development when it went before them in June, prompting hotelier Tony Banks - a member of the consortium - to warn potential investment could be lost.

But after changes were made to the scheme, it is now due back before the planners.

Mr Banks said: “I am very hopeful that we have appeased all the concerns of both the planning committee members and local residents so that collectively we can deliver a compromise scheme for this blot on the landscape.

“It is a great shame the previous scheme was not approved as it would have created more housing and a much better and stronger structure.

“But I am very happy with this one and as long as the development moves ahead it is a win, win situation for everybody, but especially for Blackpool.”

The scheme, which has previously been estimated to be worth about £12m, would see a derelict nursing home on the corner of Harrow Place and South Promenade demolished. Ron Richardson, another member of the investment consortium, said: “Following the comments of the planning committee we have scaled back the development and drawn up new plans.

“We have taken them round to show the residents and went through everything with them.”

Seven letters of objection had been received to the original application, plus a petition from the South Shore Action Group with 19 signatures.

A statement accompanying the new planning application says: “The scale, massing and elevational treatment has been carefully considered throughout the design stages. The form has evolved as a direct result of the brief, project viability and through consultations with the planning department.”

South Promenade, one of the gateways to the resort, has come under fire due to the state of some buildings which have been vandalised.

In May, councillors refused permission for a £7m scheme to replace the Kimberley, Waldorf and Henderson Hotels on Wimbourne Place.