Blackpool Council has approved a planning application for a new 142 bed hotel in the town’s Central Business District.

The hotel will be located on the site of the current Wilkinson’s building adjacent to Blackpool North railway station and forms part of the second phase of Muse Developments’ and Blackpool Council’s £100m Talbot Gateway regeneration scheme.

Cllr Mark Smith, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Enterprise and Economic Development at Blackpool Council, said: “This is a really positive move which will help expand Blackpool’s Central Business District and help to attract extra investment to the town.

“Sited next door to the train station, above the new tramway terminus and only a very short walk from the town centre and new conference centre, the hotel will offer quality town centre accommodation for hundreds of business tourists, helping us to create a stronger local economy and more local jobs.”

The new five-storey building will feature a restaurant, bar, conferencing facilities and ground floor retail units. A temporary 127 space surface level car park and access improvements connecting the proposed new tram station and the railway station, also form part of the plans.

Mike Horner, regional director for national developer and urban regeneration experts, Muse, said: “We’re delighted to have secured planning approval for the second phase of our multi-award-winning Talbot Gateway project, which has already delivered a refurbished multi-story car park, civic office and Sainsbury’s store.”

Work to demolish the Wilkinson’s building will take place once Wilkinson’s have vacated the site, with the construction of the new hotel and associated works commencing immediately thereafter.