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Promenade restaurant resumes planning battle with council

Wednesday, 30 October 2024 11:08

By Shelagh Parkinson

A Promenade restaurant is resuming its battle to save a glazed atrium after town hall planners ruled the scheme was ‘detrimental’ to views along the resort seafront.

The Eating Inn Steakhouse in South Shore, Blackpool, has submitted a fresh planning application for the extension after previous proposals were thrown out by Blackpool Council.

The eatery – which is rated 12th best in Blackpool by online review site Tripadvisor – built the fully glazed canopy on its forecourt during the Covid pandemic but wants to keep it in place to meet demand for tables.

A revised application says the latest plans mean the structure has been improved and fits in with the existing buildings.

Documents say: “This planning application is submitted on behalf of Mr Ben Shorrock for a single storey front extension to the existing restaurant in the form of a fully glazed canopy with a slimline anthracite grey aluminium frame.

“The application seeks retrospective permission as the work has already been carried out to enable space for the business to keep trading during the Covid restrictions.

“Changes to the structure have taken place since the original planning application and the structure now has a solid roof, more in keeping to the materials of the host building.”

The Eating Inn, which is located on the Promenade between Waterloo Road and Rawcliffe Street, is a long-standing family business in the town situated in one of the main holiday areas.

The application says the scheme “represents a high quality improvement to an existing building frontage.

“Great expense has gone into creating a simplistic and modern glazed extension that enhances the corporate identity of the business and increases ‘kerb appeal’ to passing trade, which makes up around 90 per cent of the business’ turnover.”

It says the modern materials are comparable to those used in the design of other prominent seafront buildings such as Festival House and The Spyglass Bar “all of which positively contribute to the regeneration of the borough.”

The first application was refused in June 2023 by council planners using delegated powers. A report said the extension was “out of place” and “also has a detrimental impact on strategic views along the Promenade and seafront.”

The latest application (reference 24/0580 will now go before council planners for consideration

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