A major new chapter in the regeneration of Blackpool’s South Promenade began in 2024 when planning permission was granted for a substantial new four-star hotel on the site of the former St Chad’s Hotel. The development forms part of the continued investment by Singapore-based Fragrance Group, which has quietly become one of the town’s most significant hotel owners through its ownership of both the Imperial Hotel and the Lyndene Hotel.
The new hotel will occupy land between Woodfield Road, St Chad’s Road, Bolton Street and the Promenade, immediately adjoining the Lyndene Hotel. The site was previously occupied by the St Chad’s Hotel, Regency Apartments, the Lyric Hotel and the Seaside Fish and Chip Shop, all of which were demolished to make way for the redevelopment.
When the project was first unveiled, Fragrance Group proposed constructing a landmark seven-storey hotel containing 184 bedrooms at a cost of around £30 million. Following consultation with Blackpool Council planners, the design was revised before approval was granted. The approved scheme reduced the accommodation to 143 bedrooms within a five and six-storey Art Deco-inspired building that will include a restaurant, bar, meeting facilities and guest accommodation overlooking the Irish Sea.
Although the development sits immediately beside the Lyndene Hotel, it is not an extension of the existing property. Instead, it has been designed as a completely separate hotel with its own identity and facilities. The Lyndene has long established itself as one of Blackpool’s best-known entertainment hotels, while the proposed four-star development is intended to attract a different market, offering modern accommodation designed for both leisure and business visitors.
The scheme represents Fragrance Group’s third major investment in Blackpool and reflects the company’s growing confidence in the resort’s long-term future. Alongside its ownership of the Imperial Hotel and the Lyndene Hotel, the addition of a purpose-built four-star hotel would create a significant hospitality portfolio stretching across Blackpool’s famous Promenade.
Building Site 12 July 2026 © Deeper Blue Marketing & Design Ltd – The blue building to the left is the Lyndene Hotel.
Planning permission for the development was granted in April 2024, with the developers expressing their intention to begin construction as soon as possible. However, despite the site having been cleared following demolition of the former buildings, construction work has yet to commence. There has been no public announcement that the project has been cancelled, nor have revised planning applications or proposals for an alternative use been submitted. At present, the cleared site remains one of the most prominent undeveloped plots on Blackpool’s seafront.
Building Site 12 July 2026 © Deeper Blue Marketing & Design Ltd
The reasons for the delay have not been publicly explained. Rising construction costs, changes within the hospitality industry and the scale of Fragrance Group’s wider investment programme across the United Kingdom may all have influenced the timetable, although the company has made no official statement regarding the project’s current schedule. Until construction begins, the approved plans remain a reminder of one of the largest private hotel investments proposed for Blackpool in recent years.
Should the development proceed as approved, it will mark another significant milestone in the continuing evolution of Blackpool’s Promenade. The site that once accommodated several traditional seaside hotels will be transformed into a modern four-star destination, reflecting the town’s ongoing efforts to attract new investment while continuing its long history of welcoming visitors from across Britain and beyond.
