Winter Gardens set to add 200-room hotel

Outline planning permission has been approved for a new 200-room hotel adjacent to Blackpool's newly developed Winter Gardens Conference and Exhibition Centre.

The plans were submitted by Bisset Adams architects, the same team that was commissioned to design the £28m, 6,150 sq m conference extension to the Winter Gardens last year.

Blackpool Council's planning committee has approved the initial idea for the 203-room hotel over six floors, paving the way for more detailed plans to be submitted.

The plans feature accommodation on the upper levels and leisure facilities, such as a cafe, bar, restaurant and spa, on the lower floors. Proposals also include a physical link between the new hotel and the new conference centre.

The enclosed walkway would link from the hotel’s second floor to the first -floor concourse of the new venue. This would mean delegates could easily access the Winter Gardens’ 12 integrated meeting and exhibition spaces, in addition to the new conference and exhibition facilities, without being exposed to the elements.

The new hotel would also be in close proximity to the town’s new tramway. The line, which will link Blackpool North train station to tram services which serve the length of Blackpool’s promenade, is due for completion in 2019.

Michael Williams from Blackpool’s Winter Gardens said: “When the design of our new Conference & Exhibition Centre was first conceived we included plans for a hotel immediately adjacent to the site. It’s therefore great news that this idea has moved one step closer to becoming a reality. Further, with the architects Bisset Adams also behind these proposals, the proposed hotel would be closely aligned to the wider Winter Gardens scheme."

Cllr Gillian Campbell, deputy leader of Blackpool Council, said: “This proposed development will help deliver a real step change in conference facilities in Blackpool. Its proximity to the new Winter Gardens conference and exhibition centre will create a fully integrated facility that can only add to the overall appeal of our rejuvenated business tourism offer.” If these are approved, and the scheme gets the green light to be built, the development would become the latest in a series of new hotels across Blackpool which are set to add over 900 premium rooms to the town’s existing stock.