Green light for restaurant at former Lytham police station
11:40am Thursday 3rd July 2008
Controversial plans to turn one of Lytham’s most historic buildings into a restaurant and luxury apartments have been approved.
Planners yesterday granted permission to transform the Grade II listed Lytham Police Station and Magistrates Court, which has been empty since the police moved to the Clifton Street base in 2006.
The development will see the retention of the Edwardian court room as a major feature and diners will also be able to view the adjoining cells as they have their meals.
The proposals will see nine luxury apartments built on the Bannister Street site and the first car lift in Lytham will hoist cars into an internal car park.
Planners approved the scheme despite concerns raised by the Lytham St Annes Civic Society, which claimed the plan was over ambitious and would “destroy” the original courtroom.
They suggested a residential-only development, with more flats and the retention of the court room for educational purposes.
Councillor Ben Aitken, who sat on the development control committee, said: “The committee felt that this was a sympathetic use for this historic building.
“Our main concern was over parking issues on nearby Warton Street, however the Pleasant Street car park is only 75 metres away and we felt the majority of the restaurant customers will use this.”
Despite the civic society’s objections, English Heritage supported the plans. A spokesman said: “The preservation of the former police station and court is welcomed as this civic building is architecturally and historically significant.”
The former police station and court dates back to 1900 and was designed by county architect Henry Littler.
English Heritage describe it as having “some of the finest court room fixtures to survive in Lancashire.”.
The building went under the hammer last year, selling for £575,000, after fierce competition drove it up from the guide price of £400,000.
It was bought by developers Blakely Finch Developments, who are behind these plans to transform the building.
Marion Coupe, chairman of the civic society, said: “The restaurant development proposes a demolition of internal walls and says that loose furniture in the courtroom will be removed.
“There is no loose furniture, as the benches for press and public and the witness box are all fixtures. The word gutting springs to mind.
“This would destroy the courtroom.”