®Planning appeal decision
South Pier, Promenade, Blackpool, FY4 1BB
Planning appeal 3378127 at South Pier, Promenade, Blackpool, FY4 1BB (Blackpool Borough Council) was dismissed on 7 August 2026 by Inspector Freer P, following an inquiry. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the Council's decision to refuse to grant a Certificate of Lawful Use or Development (LDC) was well founded.
- Authority
- Blackpool Borough Council
- Appeal type
- Lawful Development Certificate
- Procedure
- Inquiry
- Development
- leisure-sport · Other Major Developments
- Inspector
- Freer P
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the Council's decision to refuse to grant a Certificate of Lawful Use or Development (LDC) was well founded
- the principle of the development, including whether the proposed development constitutes piecemeal development on the Promenade
- whether the proposed development would harm the character and appearance of the area
- whether the proposed development would harm the setting of designated and non-designated heritage assets, specifically Blackpool Tower and South Pier respectively
- whether the proposed development would, and should, secure any requirements for tree planting, landscaping and Biodiversity Net gain
What decided it
The harm to the character and appearance of the area and to the setting of South Pier and Blackpool Tower was not outweighed by the public benefits of increased entertainment offer and pier-maintenance funding.
the benefits of increased entertainment offer and of revenue towards pier maintenance, to which significant weight was attached, did not outweigh the harm to the character and appearance of the area and to the setting of South Pier and Blackpool Tower, nor the conflict with the development plan as a whole
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy CS21Policy DM10Policy CS7Policy SS8Policy CS8Policy DM17Policy DM28Policy DM19Policy CS6Policy DM21Policy DM35
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 216Paragraph 212Paragraph 215
- Judgments
- Cardiff Rating Authority v Guest Keen Baldwin's Iron and Steel Co Ltd [1949] 1QB 385; Skerritts of Nottingham Ltd v SSETR (No.2) [2000] 2 PLR 102
How the Inspector dealt with each one is set out in the app, in order: the development plan, national policy, housing land supply, other considerations and the planning balance, beside the letter.
See how each was appliedThe decision letter
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- Allowed29 May 2026600699240 Bolton Street, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY1 6AE
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- Notice varied and upheld12 January 20263348068Land and Building Known As Midgeland Road , Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 5JA
- Allowed10 October 20253371639134 Fleetwood Road, Blackpool, FY5 1RD
The main issues, what decided it, the planning balance and the policies and judgments listed as cited are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro and are our summary, not the Inspector’s words; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.