Proposals to allow short stay accommodation to be developed next to historic theatre are rubberstamped despite concerns they could jeopardise the future of the venue.
Michael Beckwith/Creative Commons
A decision to grant permission for holiday accommodation adjacent to Blackpool Grand's stage door could compromise its ongoing operation and viability, the Theatre’s Trust has warned.
The advisory body said that, despite its formal objections, members of Blackpool Council’s Planning Committee voted to allow the conversion of the upper levels of a building currently occupied by jewellery chain F. Hinds from retail space to short stay accommodation.
The trust said the location is "highly problematic for residential uses", even if intended for short-term stays, because of the potential for noise disruption from the theatre’s get-ins and get-outs which occur late at night and early in the morning.
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"If new restrictions were to be placed on the theatre following complaints this would limit the programme it could accept and in turn compromise its ongoing operation and viability," the trust said.
It added that access to some of the flats would be through a door from the passage to the rear of the theatre, which gives rise to health and safety issues if tourists are attempting to access while large lorries are loading or unloading.
Theatres Trust’s National Planning Adviser Tom Clarke said: "There were strong grounds to refuse this application or at least to defer a decision until more accurate information had been provided.
"The council’s decision is very disappointing and out of step with recent decisions made by other local authorities.
"We have seen from the ongoing court case involving Manchester’s iconic Night & Day Café that planning permissions granted without full appreciation of the operational needs of venues can have harmful consequences further down the line.
"The Grand Theatre is not just a major cultural venue for Blackpool which makes a major contribution to the town’s economy and visitor offer, it is also architecturally one of the country’s most significant theatres. The council needs to be working to protect the theatre and ensure that development in the town is sustainable."
In granting permission for the change of use, members of the planning committee followed the recommendation of the planning officer dealing with the application.
"The scheme is considered to represent sustainable development and would create new holiday accommodation in the town centre in line with the Council’s regeneration objectives," a report prepared for councillors ahead of the meeting states.
"Subject to conditions it is not considered that the proposal would have an unacceptable impact on The Grand Theatre.
"The recommendation is therefore that planning permission be granted subject to condition."
The report adds that the Environmental Protection team at the council commissioned a noise survey to assess the situation.
"This was then submitted and having reviewed it they state the report has taken into account the activities of The Grand Theatre and shown that with the [proposed] glazing specification this will prevent an adverse impact."
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