Fylde urges pace for key town centre project 

Work to breathe new life into the former JR Taylor department store in St Annes is due to restart in June after the local council approved refreshed plans for the project. 

Corbenyah Properties wants to redevelop the former department store and HSBC bank on Garden Street to deliver a spa and VIP bar. 

Cllr Richard Redcliffe, vice-chair of Fylde Council’s planning committee, said the scheme is “central” to the regeneration of St Annes town centre. 

“My message to the developer is ‘please work at pace’”, Redcliffe said. 

Corbenyah already had permission to convert the former JR Taylor department store into a spa with a four-bedroom boutique hotel. 

Having recently acquired St Annes’ former HSBC bank next door, the developer was yesterday granted consent to incorporate that building into its leisure scheme.  

In addition, the developer will swap out the previously consented four hotel suites in favour of a VIP bar.  

Designed by Blackpool-based WBD Architectural Consultants, the revamp of the 20,000 sq ft department store also features plans for a rooftop bar and a restaurant.  

Central to the redevelopment project is glazing work including the addition of glass cladding to the corner bay and glazed balconies, along with the replacement of ground floor glazing. Canopy alterations and timber treatments are also included.  

JR Taylor closed its doors in January 2015 and has been empty since.