Proposals for two new rides on Blackpool’s South Pier Headland have been refused once again.
In November, Blackpool Pier Company applied for a Certificate of Proposed Lawfulness (CLOPED) to install a log flume and a star flyer, arguing the attractions would boost tourism. The company claimed a CLOPED was appropriate as the structures did not constitute “development” and therefore did not require planning permission.
However, the planning officer concluded that both rides are substantial structures that would require formal planning consent, leading to the refusal of the CLOPED application. Each ride was intended to operate between 1 April and 31 October, installed independently for the season.
Planning permission was previously refused in September, with concerns that the rides would not suit the setting and would contravene several planning policies. A similar application was also rejected in 2018, following temporary permission being granted at an earlier stage.
The refusal report noted: “Going by submissions made with the planning application, it is understood that whilst there would be no bolting or suchlike to the ground, the structures would include elements of considerable weight to prevent them from being moved by the wind and as such they would have a physical attachment to the ground. It is plain that once built, it would not be possible to move them without dismantling them. In summary, the proposed structures would be operational development and therefore their siting would require planning permission. No express planning permission for their siting exists. Consequently, the siting of the two structures would not be lawful and a certificate should not be granted.”
The log flume would have a footprint of 42m by 18m, a height of 12m, and a total track length of approximately 220m, set within a mini lake environment. The star flyer would reach 77m in height, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
