Bid for shipping container food destination in Blackpool could be sunk by council planners

Town hall planners are recommending an application by Southbeach Streetfood to redevelop Flagstaff Gardens on South Promenade is refused when it goes before the council’s Planning Committee on Wednesday April 26.

Businessmen Jamie Willacy, Nick Lowe and Andrew Bradshaw, all from South Shore, are poised to invest around £750,000 in the project which has been designed by local architect Joseph Boniface.

They propose to install 19 shipping containers, painted to fit in with the area, catering for sit-in diners and serving fresh food from around the globe sourced from local suppliers.

They say the scheme could create up to 80 new jobs.

It comes after the council advertised for prospective operators for the council-owned site, and formally appropriated the land for development as a leisure use earlier this year.

But planning officers say the application is out of keeping with its surroundings, including the Casino building at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, although Danfo public toilets have recently been allowed on part of the land.

A council report says: “The application proposes a hot food and drink development on safeguarded open space in an area where there is anidentified shortfall of open space and no compensatory measures or mitigation is proposed.

“The proposal would exacerbate an existing over-concentration of hot food takeaway uses in an area with significant health inequalities with high levels of childhood obesity.

“The siting of stacked shipping containers on open space is poor quality design and inappropriate in such a prominent location on the Promenade.

“The scheme would have a detrimental impact on the character, setting and views of the Grade II listed Casino and White Tower.”

Water company United Utilities, which has water tanks beneath the site, has withdrawn its objection but recommended a further assessment is undertaken.

The Pleasure Beach has objected, saying the area is “already saturated with takeaways” and warning the scheme would damage existing businesses.

The site, between Withnell Road and Osborne Road, was previously home to the Carnesky’s Ghost Train, operated by the council.

Southbeach Streetfood says its application is for a sit-in experience – not a takeaway – with entertainment and food concessions including Korean, Mexican and Thai.