Plans emerge for apartments next to Blackpool Tower
Nottingham-based Gape Equity wants to convert the floors above The Albert and The Lion pub on the town’s promenade into 65 flats.
Previously occupied by Sports Direct, the 75,000 sq ft space is now vacant following the retailer’s relocation to Houndshill Shopping Centre.
The landlord has made Blackpool Council aware of its intention to transform the building – which occupies an island site bound by the Promenade, Adelaide Street West, Heywood Street, and Bank Hey Street – into homes under permitted development rights.
There will be 10 two-bedroom apartments and 55 with one-bedroom ranging from 399 sq ft to 856 sq ft spread across the first to the fifth floors of the nine-storey commercial building.
The ground floor and basement do not form part of the application and will remain under the operation of JD Wetherspoon.
No external alterations are planned to the building, which is located next to Blackpool Tower.
Grace Machin Planning & Property is advising the Gape Equity on the plans.
Gape Equity, part of Nottingham-based ALB Investments, has delivered projects in the North West before, including an office-to-resi conversion in Birkenhead.
To learn more, search for reference number 24/0591 on Blackpool Council’s planning portal.
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It would make a great Wetherspoons hotel, but good to see the building being brought back into use.
By PSR Simon
Doing it on the cheap by the sounds of it. Just what Blackpool needs!
By Steve
Nature is healing <3
By M. I. Grant
Blackpool has done a lot right recently but I don’t think this proposal is one of them.
By Rye