Leisure Parcs, the company that owns the Blackpool Tower, the Winter Gardens and Blackpool's three piers, has applied for planning permission to develop a Las Vegas style resort complex.

The 12-acre site on Blackpool seafront would include a 1,000-bedroom hotel, 3,800sq m of conference and exhibition space, a 3,000-seat theatre and 10,000sq m of gaming space.

Planning permission will be granted subject to the outcome of the Gambling Review Report, an independent review of the UK's 30-year-old gambling laws, published by the government earlier this year.

The company hopes the resort, which would also feature 20,000sq m of restaurants, shops and attractions, will act as a catalyst for the social and economic regeneration of Blackpool.

'This application represents our confidence that Blackpool has the ambition and determination to re-establish itself as the premier seaside resort in Europe,' said managing director of Leisure Parcs, Marc Etches. 'The proposed development will create up to 3,000 new jobs and inject an additional £100m into the regional economy annually.'

The government is expected to conclude its review of the regulation of the gambling industry early next year.