Plans to change former Blackpool hotel into holiday flats

An out-of-use hotel in Blackpool could be turned into nine holiday apartments, if plans get the go ahead.

The former Priory Hotel at 18 Yorkshire Street previously offered 14 bedroom holiday accommodation in the heart of the Foxhall Conservation Area, close to Blackpool’s famous Central Pier.

It was later given permission to be changed to apartments. However, the change was never carried out and the building remained as a hotel. The internal layout also remained as it was.

Now a new application, under the name Junaid Muzammal, has been lodged with Blackpool Council’s planners, for a change of use of premises to nine self-contained serviced holiday flats.

The proposals will have a negligible effect on the original features of the Property. The existing building features including materials, colour, and appearance will be maintained, and original features will be maintained.

The Foxhall Conservation Area in Blackpool is a designated area known for its historical significance as one of the oldest mixed-use districts in the town. It developed from the 1860s onwards, characterised by a grid of streets filled with lodging houses and private residences, designed to provide affordable holiday accommodation.

The area’s development was closely linked to the opening of Central Station and Central Pier, and it is now known as Foxhall Village.

To support the application, a Design, Access and Heritage Statement by agents Mason and Marlow, for the applicant, stated: “The original hotel had 14 bedrooms. However, the proposal will operate only 9 bedrooms self-contained serviced holiday accommodation, because of the change in the hotel market, where hotel rooms that have an apartment feel are what customers now want.

“These self-contained serviced accommodations are popularly known as apartment hotels or apart-hotels for short. The serviced accommodations will blend the comfort of home with hotel-like services and amenities.

“There will be housekeeping, wi-fi, and a manager who regularly attends to visitors’ needs. Apart-hotels are an appealing alternative to traditional hotels and that’s what the market has shown to be the growing trend for success in the hospitality industry.

“The proposed modernisation of the hotel to self-contained serviced accommodations will appeal to tourists, individuals, and families visiting Blackpool for a weekend, who would have had to book two separate hotel rooms to accommodate a family of 4 or 5.

“In addition to this, the spacious rooms will also improve the quality and variety of hotels in the area. The proposed self-contained serviced accommodations will be called Coast & Comfort. An associated canopy signage application will be submitted alongside this application.”

The statement concluded: “Overall, the proposed block of self-contained serviced holiday accommodation would be in line with the historical context of Foxhall Conservation Area, and the internal changes would have no harm or negative impact on the property, the larger Yorkshire Street, and the Foxhall Conservation Area.”