Plans for new apartments and terraced houses on the site of a 19th century hotel in the West End of Morecambe have been approved.
Lancaster City Council has granted planning permission for a 'change of use' and conversion of the former Park Hotel on Regent Road.
This would be to create 14 apartments, demolish extensions at the back of the building, build a new four-storey extension and single-storey extension to the side, and create a new garden area, car park and six new terraced houses on the existing car parking area at the back of the former hotel.
Permission was granted, with several conditions, via a decision notice published earlier this month.
The Park Hotel, which has been closed for several years, was originally built in 1895 by Edmond Park.
A council report said: "The site was a popular holiday destination from the Victorian Era onwards, located between Regent Park public open space and the promenade and sea front of West End Morecambe.
"The site is a prominent and impressive building located just beyond the West End Morecambe regeneration priority area, at a key gateway into this area along Regent Road.
"The proposed conversion of a prominent and impressive NDHA (non-designated heritage asset) property would make efficient use of the site whilst providing investment and ongoing maximised use of the brownfield site.
"The site is adjacent to a crucial regeneration priority area, and redevelopment of the site would positively contribute to the aims of local regeneration.
"The economic and social benefits of this are considered to be substantial in this location, for a scheme that is encouraged and supported in principle.
"The sustainable design credentials of the development, and continued use of embodied carbon within the existing built form, provide additional moderate weight in favour of the proposal.
"There are a number of neutral aspects in terms of design, streetscene, transport, drainage, ecology and biodiversity, which can all be mitigated through planning conditions to ensure neutral weight, as opposed to harm.
"There is limited harm through replacement windows and loss of the recent public house use of the site, however these are considered to be justified given the regenerative potential of the proposal and wider consideration.
"The use of obscure glazed windows in sensitive locations avoids harmfully overlooking, ensuring no harm and neutral weight for neighbouring residential amenity and that of future occupants.
"Whilst concerns over flood risk can only be partially mitigated through this proposal, and significant harm is attributed to the future undefended flood risk, given the benefits attributed, and the reduction in harm through mitigation measures, this should be weighed in an overall planning balance of the proposal."
Original plans, for 17 apartments and six houses at the site, were refused by the council in 2024.
The council said at the time that "the proposal will result in an unacceptable and poor standard of accommodation for all basement apartments proposed".
A report by applicant Alexander Matthews Stays Ltd, submitted with the new plans, said: "Following the refusal of the application, a pre-application enquiry was submitted to the council which sought to address the reasons for refusal and to provide solutions."
Read more: New plans revealed after apartments scheme at former hotel in Morecambe is refused - Beyond Radio
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