'Upside down' house planned for seaside resort

Those behind the proposals say the house would have "minimal impact" on the area

Plans to build a house that sits on its roof have been proposed for a seafront site near Blackpool's South Pier.

A planning application has been lodged with the town's council to install both an upside down house and a spinning one.

Upside Down House UK Limited operates similar attractions in other towns and cities, including Liverpool, Bournemouth and Brighton.

It said a Blackpool structure, on a site previously occupied by Karting 2000, would attract visitors all year round, with "minimal impact" on the area's character.

A Planning, Design and Access Statement has been submitted by MPD Built Environment Consultants Ltd on the company's behalf.

It said: "The application site is to the west of the tramway, between South Pier to the north and the Sandcastle Waterworld to the south on one of the areas reclaimed from the sea as part of the wider Promenade improvement works."

'Temporary permission'

The Upside Down House would be a two-storey structure with a maximum height of about 7m (23ft), the planning application said.

The Spinning House would have a maximum height of about 3.7m, "designed to be at a small elevation, which allows it to rotate in either direction" with the customer inside on a stationary bench.

Plans for a ticket booth for the attraction are also included in the proposals.

"The attractions are a year-round operation ensuring that they will attract tourists during every season of the year," the statement said.

The applicants are seeking planning permission for a temporary period, adding: "The Upside Down House structure stands on a pre-cast concrete foundation that can be dismantled, returning the terrace to normal in as little as two days."

Plans for two fairground rides on the South Pier were thrown out by councillors recently after they were not deemed "acceptable" for the local area.