Blackpool Vic battles to retain vital ‘temporary’ Covid building

Blackpool Victoria Hospital has been granted planning permission to permanently retain a prefab building which was originally used for the Covid pandemic but has continued to be used.

The applicants, Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, were faced with the possible prospect of the temporary building having to come down, if its proposals to retain it were refused.

It was argued that this would have been a waste of resources and that the public in Blackpool would have regarded it as such.

It is still in active and vital use, housing the hospital’s Ward 4, the Acute Frailty Unit.

Additionally, the Trust contended that although classed as temporary, the building was designed to have a 60 year lifespan and is now, in fact “considered one of the highest quality buildings on the hospital campus”.

The application lodged with Blackpool Council’s planners was for retention of a 2 storey modular (prefab) unit building and link corridor to the main hospital and retention of solar panels on the building’s roof, within the hospital complex on Whinney Heys Road.

Prior to it being built, the site had been used as a car park which served as a drop-off point, and for disabled and staff parking.

A report by Blackpool Council’ Head of Development Control (planning) stated: “The existing two storey modular unit was previously granted a temporary planning permission.

“It was erected in early 2022 for use as a patient bed ward with associated clinical facilities, providing 24 additional bedspaces needed in response to the COVID 19 pandemic.

“The 24 bedspaces were to temporarily accommodate patients from other areas of the hospital until the eastern side of the hospital site could be developed to provide larger and more efficient buildings.”

A Planning Statement on behalf of the applicants said: “The pandemic, and the knock on impact across hospitals, for years to come, has been profound.

“The Trust have sought to battle through the effects of the pandemic for five years, and Ward 4 has been a lifeline to the hospital since it became available in 2022.

“It is highly likely that the building’s removal (if this application is refused) would be viewed by the national government as a wholly inefficient and wasteful use of Covid 19 public funding.

“At a time of severe austerity for the Borough, it would be extremely counterintuitive to remove critical health infrastructure, with no chance of it being replaced.

“The Trust are also acutely aware of the extremely negative reception the applications’ refusal could have from the wider public. It is not considered in the public interest for this building to be removed.”

It added: “The reason as to why the facility is being used for the AFU (Acute Frailty Unit) is because Ward 4 is considered one of the highest quality buildings on the hospital campus.

“The building was not constructed with the intention of being temporary. The Trust felt compelled to apply for a temporary permission for the building after resistance from the local authority when the retrospective planning application was applied for in 2022, seeking permission as a permanent building in the first instance.”

The planning officer concluded: “The scheme would have no unacceptable impacts on amenity, and would help to improve health services for Blackpool residents and patients at the hospital. On this basis, planning permission should be approved.”