Plans for 'beneficial' £45m office block approved

The former Apollo electrical store site highlighted in red was demolished in 2014

Plans for a £45m office block alongside a seaside resort's railway station have been approved by the town's council.

Blackpool councillors backed the scheme after hearing the plans, which are part of the £350m Talbot Gateway regeneration, would bring about 1,000 jobs to the area.

The proposal will see a six-storey block built on a site on Talbot Road which was occupied by an electrical store before it was demolished in 2014.

A meeting heard some concerns had been raised about the lack of parking, but the authority's head of development management Susan Parker said it was close to public transport which workers would be encouraged to use.

Councillor Dave Flanagan, who chaired the meeting, said it was "a beneficial development".

"I’m excited to see the number of people who will be working there," he added.

Councillor Jo Farrell said the design complemented "the Holiday Inn and other buildings there", while councillor Jason Roberts added that it fitted in well and was "timely in terms of what we are trying to achieve in the town centre".

The scheme was first unveiled in May, and although the identity of the tenant has not been disclosed, application documents revealed the scheme would bring "high skilled jobs on behalf of the proposed government body".