A £7.6m budget hotel on Blackpool’s seafront has got the go ahead despite opposition from angry hoteliers in the resort.
Blackpool Council’s planning committee narrowly approved the application by easyHotel for a 107-bedroom property on an empty plot of land on the Promenade in South Shore.
Ian White, speaking on behalf of hoteliers group StayBlackpool, told the meeting the proposed hotel would damage existing businesses.
“So this is going against everything the council is trying to encourage in this town.
“The local accommodation providers are Blackpool ambassadors.
“Unfortunately, low paid and low skilled workers won’t be promoting Blackpool, they will be there to do a job.”
Concern was also raised that 31 of the rooms will have no windows at all.
The company’s agent Philip Grant said: “It is budget accommodation, but good quality and not just intended to attract visitors.
“It is aimed at business users as well including people who might be visiting Blackpool for conferences.
“It is considered to be good quality affordable accommodation that would allow guests to spend more money in the area.”
Coun Andrew Stansfield said he was concerned about the lack of parking. He said: “There are no parking facilities in an area which already has huge parking issues. I don’t think it’s the right application for the site.”
The hotel will be built on land near Waterloo Road which has been empty since the Tudor Rose Hotel was demolished in 2014.
The scheme will be four to five storeys in height and also includes a ground floor lobby and restaurant.
The top floor will be set back to break up the visual impact of the building.
