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Plans to turn former radar station into 'mega flat'

Gerald England/Geograph An artist's impression shows how the radar station would look once converted into a flat. It is a single-storey, elliptical-shaped build with windows on its surface and a short staircase leading up to a door. It is on stilts just on the beach behind the promenade railings.Gerald England/Geograph
The new owner wants create a "unique and thoughtful unit" reflecting the historical significance of this building

An architect wants to turn a seafront radar station into a "mega flat".

The single-storey building, on The Esplanade, in Fleetwood, is a former naval facility that Iain Garnell wants to turn into a one-bedroom apartment.

Mr Garnell, who runs his own architectural practice, Design Three Sixty, bought it for £97,000 earlier this year.

In his bid to town planners, Mr Garnell said he wanted to "transform a once redundant building into a landmark residential dwelling".

Google A photo shows the current, "dilapidated" condition of the radar station. While there is no evidence of any structural problems, the building is weathered and the finish is peeling from the short staircase that leads up to the door of the elliptical, single-storey building that stands on stilts on the beach, just behind the promenade railings.Google
The radar station is currently in a "dilapidated" state, Mr Garnell said

Mr Garnell said a client had alerted him to the sale of the former radar training centre when it was first listed in November.

He said: "The second I saw the photos I thought it was incredible.

"It’s a bit dilapidated at the moment, the roof leaks but with some [tender loving care] it will be back to its former glory."

In a heritage statement in support of the planning application, Design Three Sixty said: "We propose to create a unique and thoughtful unit reflecting the historical significance of this building."

It went on to say it wanted "to sympathetically create what we hope is an asset to Fleetwood and the surrounding community by transforming a once redundant building into a landmark residential dwelling".

The statement added: "To achieve this we propose to implement a design-led scheme with quality materials and finishes to respect and reflect this building’s heritage."

The eye-catching building on the seafront was a radar training base for coastal masters and crews for decades, and was described by art historian and architect Sir Nick Pevsner as a "cute little piece".

Lancashire County Council's deputy leader, Alan Vincent, said: "This little building forms an historic and attractive feature, and taken with the historic 1840 lighthouse, forms a vital testimony to Fleetwood’s distinguished naval past as well as showing the history of naval communications in our midst in Lancashire."

A decision on the plan will be made at a later date.

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