Work to start on 'luxury' seafront apartments

Work is set to begin on a seven-storey holiday apartment block on a town's seafront.

The New Ambassador development in Blackpool will be built on the site of the former Ambassador Hotel, on the Promenade at North Shore.

The hotel was demolished in 2020 after being deemed unsafe following a major fire in 2018.

Plans for the site include 26 two-bedroom serviced apartments for holiday rentals and Ciconia Group, a Dutch investment company leading the project, described the scheme as "luxury" accommodation by the sea.

Ciconia's chief executive, Job Gutterling, said work was expected to begin in July or August, with completion planned around summer 2027.

Gutterling said the aim was to create "26 self-service holiday let apartments for the higher end market, focusing on families".

"We aim to provide a warm and welcoming stay for our guests, away from the bustle of the city centre, while embracing the fun and excitement that Blackpool offers," he said.

Hoardings at the site currently advertise the development as "coming soon in 2027", the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The scheme had originally been expected to start in early 2023, with a launch in spring 2024 but it did not begin. Now some planning conditions attached to the consent have been discharged, allowing the project to move forward.

The former Ambassador was previously a two-star hotel with 36 rooms, a restaurant and views over the promenade and sea.

Site owner Ged O'Mahoney previously said he was confident in Blackpool's future and saw this project as a way to improve the quality of holiday accommodation in the town.

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