This is my little take on what Preston needs. Burying the ring road is one idea but it NEEDS resiting or traffic will become so bad that the city simply won't be able to grow to it's full potential. The green is the new ring road, yellow are just normal roads and blue is pedestrian streets. The purple is the central business district and the pink is the new bus station.
http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/5674/map1si4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Probably won't ever happen but I so hope it does!
And regarding the Linen Buildings, I think it still needs some design changes. I'll contact Countryside Properties and try get some more info!

We've reached 1000 posts :cool:

This is my little take on what Preston needs. Burying the ring road is one idea but it NEEDS resiting or traffic will become so bad that the city simply won't be able to grow to it's full potential. The green is the new ring road, yellow are just normal roads and blue is pedestrian streets. The purple is the central business district and the pink is the new bus station.
http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/5674/map1si4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Probably won't ever happen but I so hope it does!
And regarding the Linen Buildings, I think it still needs some design changes. I'll contact Countryside Properties and try get some more info!
Good start PG. But the reality is Lune St & Fox St need to go light blue. Get rid of the the yellow on Mount St and hopefully we can get rid of the yellow roundabout that is currently known as Winkley Square - the finest Georgian Square in England outside of London. I live in East Cliff, so this would cause major problems to get to my home by car, leaving only Queen St as an access, but it is for the overall benefit of our city and so I'd go for it.
No doubt the recent closure of Fishergate due to gale damage to the fine Baptist church hurt local retailers, but for a couple of days it was a real pleasure to walk around our central streets without cars and fumes blighting the immediate environment. Furthermore, we could get rid of the plethora of signage on posts for car users which clogs up our pavements and uglifies our vistas in the city centre.
Speaking of which, there seem to be a large number of bodies who have the power to erect public signage in public spaces in our city centre. Most are thoroughly redundant. There is not a single person employed in this city whose job it is to get rid of, or rationalise, these signs. Pointless railings, such as those around the Fishergate / Lune St / Chapel St junction also make the city unfriendly to pedestrians. I'm thinking of applying for a job to get rid of them. My position could be paid for in the scrap metal reclaimed.

walked home past the back of the police station today and it looks like work has started on the oakliegh development.

thought they were jus fixing the hoardings that fell down in the wind the other week. but no a large excavator is on site and there were plenty of workmen marking out the site and surveying etc.

Thanks for the update, home. I will have to have a look next time I'm in town. My only concern with this project is that it is surrounded by a 60s police station, council maisonettes and student halls! But there's always time for that whole area to have a big revamp in years to come.
I also noticed Tithebarn has been added to BDP's press releases: http://www.bdp.co.uk/flash/index.asp#n_pressreleases so we should see some more plans on their website in the coming weeks. And FG2's website has been disabled so perhaps it is being updated as the centre's manager assured me that it had not been scrapped.

I went around town in the car today getting pics of the various sites. I will upload tomorrow though because I'm going to try and get in New Hall Lane, Manchester Road, and Marsh Lane (hotel) on my travels tomorrow.

I'm just curious but does anybody actually know what is being built at the Oakleigh site, hhow big are these flats going to be? Quite a bit of activity there at the moment.

I have just found something saying its a 4-6 storey block of 75 apartments with ground level parking. Does anybody have more info? Is that all that it is?

I think the building is 4-6 storeys but also includes offices at ground level and underground parking. There is absolutely NO mention of it on Country and Metropolitan Homes' website though!

Yeah i knoe I've just been looking for any news on it, nothing!

Yes, the website appears to never actually be updated.

I was picking up my girlfriend from college yesterday and I saw something magical... men were putting up signs saying 'The Linen Buildings: Coming Soon' as well as all the usual apartment and contact details on the site on Queen Street. This is looking very positive!

Ooo, the fame!
The LEP have published my Riverworks statement today. A few bits cut out, but you'll get the gist.
http://www.lep.co.uk/ViewArticle.aspx?SectionID=3879&ArticleID=2062107

Very good article! Absolutely loved reading it. Very sensible ideas too. Its nice to see the LEP publishing something positive about Riverworks instead of the usual Save the Ribble stuff.
I see where the name came from now :yes:

Well i definatly confirm that the oakliegh development is well and truly under construction now.

There was a very large piling rig on site today. what ever they are building sure is going to be a size by the looks of the whole they have dug.

Noticed they were reinforcing the wall of the hole at the back of the site with large corrigated sheets of metal ( someone could probly explain this more technically.) Would have taken a pic but there was a workmen stood right where i wanted to take it from.

i will try get one to mos on the way to uni.

From Tark's article:
The barrage could be integrated with a new lower Ribble crossing to link Liverpool Road with Riversway, with accesses close to Howick Cross Lane and Chain Caul Way. The junction of Watery Lane and Strand Road at Oyston Mill is a well-known bottleneck (as is the Liverpool Road / Cop Lane junction) as coastal traffic has to come almost to the heart of the city.

That is the best thing I have seen anyone suggest in a long time!!!! My personal thought was a crossing much further west, but this suggestion would go a huge way to solving some of the congestion in Preston. Not to mention give me a great route from Leyland to Warton (Home to work).

:)

Just been on the world cup thread and took this from an observer article. Raises some interesting possibilities, i certainly think we would be deserving and have a lot of plus points but... I can't see how they can squeeze 40,000 out of deepdale. Can't really fill the corners and the way it is built with the large crossbars makes going up difficult too. Only solution would be a new home (probs by the M6 at 31a, or i guess at the current site) but with deepdale being in relatively good shape, and PNE unlikely to be able to afford it, it seems hard to justify public funds.

That said, i'll be crossing my fingers!

In the North-West, Preston could edge out Blackpool out as a possible candidate. The Football League was founded there, it is the home of the National Football Museum and Preston North End, the first winners of the Double, play at a Deepdale that would be able to expand temporarily to 40,000 if chosen.

Bryan Gray, chairman of Preston from 1994 to 2001 and a key figure in establishing the football museum, is also head of the North-West Development Agency. 'We are close to Blackpool, which would provide accommodation and tourist attractions, and near to the Lake District, which is one of the country's beauty spots. Of course there is mileage in the World Cup being played here.

Bulldozers have finally moved in to demolish a popular social club to make way for housing.

Developers are knocking down Canterbury Hall in Garstang Road, Preston, the former parish centre for nearby English Martyrs Church.

The hall was a popular landmark in Preston, used for hundreds of events since being built in the 1980s.

It included a dance floor, stage and bar and held up to 200 people.
But it is now being flattened to make way for a U-shaped building comprising eight, two-storey offices and one ground floor unit, plus 11 two-bedroom apartments and three, three-bedroom apartments.

Architect David Cox, of Wood Associates in Preston, said: "The building is being demolished and hopefully building work will start in May."

The plans caused fury in the community and in November 2006 squatters made a last ditch bid to save the building.

Christine Murphy, licensee of the neighbouring Unicorn Pub, said: "I think it's disgusting. I have said all along it is a real blow to the community, especially for poorer people who can't afford fancy hotels for their wedding receptions.

"More should have been done to save it."

Just been on the world cup thread and took this from an observer article. Raises some interesting possibilities, i certainly think we would be deserving and have a lot of plus points but... I can't see how they can squeeze 40,000 out of deepdale. Can't really fill the corners and the way it is built with the large crossbars makes going up difficult too. Only solution would be a new home (probs by the M6 at 31a, or i guess at the current site) but with deepdale being in relatively good shape, and PNE unlikely to be able to afford it, it seems hard to justify public funds.

That said, i'll be crossing my fingers!

Blackpool a candidate? Please... The half of their stadium that is built is small and embarressing. The other half is seats on scaffolding :ohno:
Deepdale has been designed for expansion, although 40,000 seems a bit ambtious. Would be great if Preston was a world cup venue.

today
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/124/399061862_1b4d932f4b.jpg?v=0

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/151/399061866_7706413f5d.jpg?v=0

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/174/399061876_875d97ffee.jpg?v=0

Thanks for the pics. Nice to see things going strongly at Oakleigh.

Great news about Canterbury Hall too. I just wish the rest of the projects up that end of Moor Lane would get a move on, it really is quite shit.

Deepdale has been designed for expansion
Has it?

As Prestonian said, the corners would be nigh on impossible to fill in due to the floodlight towers, plus I would have thought the crossbars at the top of the stands would impact upwards movement. Unless new tiers could be added with a roof angled downwards. However, this wouldn't be possible on the Pavilion side, that has already been redesigned to be lower than planned.

What is more, even though I am a fan, there is no way PNE could justify a 40,000 seat ground!

I don't think a new home is very likely either.

I was out for a drive tonight and it looks like demolition has started on the old storage warehouse on Moor Lane which I think is for the 10 storey student block and the Einstein pub just close by is due to be demolished soon and replaced by apartments. And City One is coming along quite quickly. These projects should hopefully push for more regeneration in the area as it does look visually disappointing at the moment (even tonight in the dark!). I still want to see the BT tower pulled down though... But with everything else going on this year, there should be quite a few cranes going up over the next few months!

Yes, I have been wondering about cranes :) I think The Linen Buildings will definitely bring one, and hopefully the 10 storey building will.

Also, this has definitely started on Lawson Street next to the police station.
http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/7450/lawsonuh6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
The planning applications showed 2 phases: phase one - on the site of the building above - is apparently a 4/5/6 storey apartment block and phase two - on the car park next to it - is a 5/6/7 storey apartment block although previous (and no doubt outdated) renders showed a 10 storey building.
Image: eat_at_joes

Pity, 10 storeys would of made a good impact from that site.. still 7 should be visable from the ringway.

Preston has landed a massive coup with the news it will host the BBC Radio 1 Big Weekend later this year. Listen to Jo Whiley's announcement and an interview with her.

Europe's biggest free ticketed festival will be staged at the city's Moor Park on Saturday and Sunday May 19 and 20.

The sensational news was announced by Radio 1 DJ Jo Whiley on Monday morning as her show was broadcast live from the National Football Museum in Deepdale.

Speaking exclusively to the Lancashire Evening Post, she described the event as a "mini-Glastonbury" and said: "Anyone that lives in Preston or around Preston has got really lucky, you're going to have a really great time.

"They've just been so good in the past because we've done a few of these now - there's just a real air of excitement."

With a 30,000-strong capacity across the two days, the Big Weekend is the station's flagship event and is seen as the start of the UK festival season.

It will be hosted by Radio 1 DJs and broadcast live on the station, giving Preston national exposure.

This year, a third stage will be introduced bringing even more artists across an array of musical genres.

There is no news yet on exactly who will be wowing the crowds - the full line-up will be announced in April.

But last year's event in Dundee attracted dozens of chart-topping names including Snow Patrol, Keane, Pink, The Streets, Editors, Muse, Razorlight, Orson, Gnarls Barkley, Primal Scream, Sugababes, The Ordinary Boys and The Kooks.

Jason Carter, editor of live music and events, said: "Radio 1 are delighted to announce Preston as our host city for our seventh Big Weekend.

"The event has grown from strength to strength over the past few years, with massive line-ups with some of the biggest artists in the UK and from around the world performing.

"Radio 1 will be de-camping for this weekend with all of our DJ's to Moor Park."

Tickets will be available from the Radio 1 website and organisers have promised the majority will go to people from Preston and the surrounding areas.

For the interview visit: http://www.prestontoday.net/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleID=2077526&SectionID=4011

Wicked! shall make every effort to be home for that! I seem to remember them having held something in avenham park a few years ago and it being a hug success. If we ever get avenham properly sorted you could use the natural 'bowl' to great effect and even have concerts on the huge fields accross the river. Build the barrage and you get some money out of visitors by taking them on boat trips, infact you could even have gigs on boats on the river! How cool!

I loved Jo Wiley anyway but now I really like her :)

This is fantastic news. I see what you mean about Avenham Park, but I guess it just lacks the open space that Moor Park has. Its still fairly close to the city centre and we can only benefit! This is just what we need! Much better than some International City Festival crap...

If we ever get avenham properly sorted you could use the natural 'bowl' to great effect and even have concerts on the huge fields accross the river.
Which is indeed what is happening. Over the last 12 months, new electric, water and sewers have been laid / diverted in A & M Parks. Work on the new Pavilion begins on March 12th which will provide the Park Ranger with a permanent base, safe managed toilets, interprative information and meeting rooms, with a small, open air community performance platform for brass bands etc in the summer. The site of the demolished 1950's bandstand will be laid with reinforced "grasscrete" blockwork, able to take ro-ro stages like those used at Milton Keynes bowl, Glastonbury, Reading etc. There will be hard-wired lighting and sound multi-cores from the stage area to a demountable sound and light control desk in the middle of the bowl. In summary, all the infrastructure necessary to take the world biggest bands and performers for audiences of around 40,000. The crowd for the final night fireworks of the '92 Guild was estimated at 80-100,000, so there's no doubt that Avenham Park can take large audiences.
The Riverworks plans aim to create a country park on the south bank of the Ribble at Avenham Park, with the fields to the east of Old Tram Road used for car parking.
http://www.preston.gov.uk/News.asp?id=SX9452-A7807FF9
http://www.avenhamandmillerpark.org.uk/

I contacted Brookhouse Group over my concerns regarding how their latest Queen Street plans would fit in with the Linen Buildings. Here's the [encouraging] reply I got and a few alternative images however, it's still not clear how it will all come together!

"The Countryside Application was approved by Preston and it does include several very tall apartment blocks. Our scheme has been amended to take account of recommendation made by CABE. As I am sure you will be aware of the importance of that body in the context of Urban design so we were happy to take on board their comments and I think ultimately we have ended up with a more ambitious scheme, with additional floor space that makes a significant contribution to the city fringe linking what is a poorly linked site with the city centre.
I attach models of the scheme which were the basis for the planning application, I hope you share our enthusiasm, we have incidentally spoken with Preston CC they are awaiting final responses but so far appear supportive of our scheme."

http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/9261/cabemodelimage12lz4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/3382/cabemodelimage22ng3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/7573/cabemodelimage42ds5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

What site is this? is it where homebase is off the ringway?

Thanks for the information Tark, its great to hear that large scale events are being planned for in current works in the park. Don't like the idea of any fields being turned over to car parking though, goddam cars :(. Would like to see the other side of the river better used, i know there is the whole central park scheme mooted. Would be great to have our own annual glastonbury right in the centre of town!


===


And thank you too for the info Preston guy. I think from an 'urban fabric' point of view it is certainly an improvement, the design of buildings we have yet to see, no lovely tower tho and whats with the huge retail shed thing on the corner, is homebase being retained?

What site is this? is it where homebase is off the ringway?
Yes this is where the glass tower plan was proposed for. I prefer this version but am worried about the Linen Buildings using up too much space (they would take up almost 1/3 of the site, destroying the pedestrian-friendly streets).
The latest plans obviously show Homebase being knocked down and can we have an Amen because that building is hideous but it is likely to be relocated within the site. The huge shed on the corner facing New Hall Lane appears to be mixed use however, I am quite sure it may actually be mostly a car park! The plans included 1,700 car parking spaces including multi-storey and underground elements! CABE are happy with it, which is a really positive point whereas they heavily criticised the Linen Buildings: http://www.cabe.org.uk/default.aspx?contentitemid=1651&field=filter&term=North%20West&type=7

Don't like the idea of any fields being turned over to car parking though, goddam cars
TBH, I kind of made that bit up. The fields certainly would not become permanent parking lots, in the same way that the fields used for parking for the Lancashire Show near Ribchester have not become permanent car parks.

On a totally different matter, if a very tall building was to be built in the Preston area that was not in the city centre (eg inside Ringway) where would the readers of this thread want it to be?

On a totally different matter, if a very tall building was to be built in the Preston area that was not in the city centre (eg inside Ringway) where would the readers of this thread want it to be?

hmmm, interesting point, i think perhaps the riversway area is the next most suitable. Other than i've often thought it would be great, after hearing about the whole central park idea, that tall buildings would look great in an arc around the park on the other side of the river. They'd have great views, so tall buildings would maximise the people able to enjoy them and good links to town. On the pic below if they ever used the old tram line as part of any future tram then such developments would be very well served by transport. Excellent road access too. Only problem is that water treatment thing but i'm sure that could be moved. I also think something akin to these Renzo Piano buildings, ie a matching set, could look amazing! What do you think?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v379/Prestonian/centralpark.jpg

the cool renzo piano buildings, i think similar organic architecture would look great around the fringes of the park.
http://www.arplus.com/archive/piano/images/high/piano/pi4h.jpg

Prestonian, nice ideas, but just a quick note. On the Google Earth image, the line you have highlighted green isnt the old tram road, its the old East Lancashire line, which is just as good anyway because the bridge over the river is far more sturdy than the wooden tram bridge.

Skeletons have been found at the Marsh Lane building site

Builders working in the centre of Preston have discovered bodies at a medieval burial ground.

The discovery of the bodies, which could be up to 700 years old, was made as work continued on the 72-bed hotel and student flats block at the back of the privately-owned Brunel Court flats in Marsh Lane.

Work stopped as experts from Oxford Archaeology North, who were on a 'watching brief' at the site, began to comb the area.

At least five coffins, parts of human skeletons, medieval glass and floor tiles thought to be from the 14th or 15th centuries, have been discovered.

Experts at the site today described it as a "significant" find.

Staff from Oxford Archaeology North are now planning a full archaeological excavation of the patch.

It is believed the area forms part of an old priory and up to 20 coffins are eventually expected to be found.

Wooh... delays... :(

I think this is coming along really nicely, it adds something different to the skyline. I hope it is well lit at night!
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/2294/performingartsck8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/4636/performingarts2wt7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Images: eat_at_joes

Theres just something about this which looks utterly cheap and 2nd rate and I dunno why, Plus its squat and a very unflattering shape

Theres just something about this which looks utterly cheap and 2nd rate and I dunno why, Plus its squat and a very unflattering shape

I'm inclined to agree, don't much like the finished thing at all. Looked much much better in the renders. I thought it had more shape to it than a colour covered box. Will wait to see it finished and in the flesh but i'm non too sure. Its not the colour, i always welcome that, but the shape and quality that looks to utterly fail to pull it off :(.

Thanks for the pics tho, and PROTECT THAT TRAINLINE!!!!!

The media building may not be what the renders promised, but is a darn site better than UCLAN's usual style of architecture. This beats other recent additions like the business school, the Faculty of Science, and probably even 53º. Lets wait till its finished before making any final judgements.

If the old Longridge line were re-opened as a light rail or other, the bit of track at the entrance to the tunnel would make a great university station.

yeah was thinking the same thing about it as a uni station

Plans to reshape the face of one of Preston's most historic buildings and create hundreds of jobs have the backing of city planners.

Officers at Preston Council have recommended proposals from Carphone Warehouse to redevelop the Tulketh Mill site, on Balcarres Road, Ashton, be given the go-ahead.

The plans include demolishing the former Tyco International warehouse, which fronts on to Blackpool Road, and creating a new entrance to its call centre and a three-storey car park with 304 spaces.

A meeting of the council's planning committee on Monday will make the final decision on the application, which has been approved subject to the council striking a deal with Carphone Warehouse to pump cash into the area.

The plans also include the provision of a creche, a hotel, a bar-restaurant and an external play area on the ground floor of the landmark building.

There will also be three retail units built on the site of the old Tyco building, one of which will house a Carphone Warehouse shop.

Developers also want to create a new entrance for cars to the site from Blackpool Road – the building can currently only be accessed from Balcarres Road.

Carphone Warehouse currently employs 800 people at the call centre and chief executive Charles Dunstone told the Evening Post in January that he hopes the redevelopment of the mill could see that figure rise by a further 1,000 staff.

Also, the Avenham car park building's planning application has been resubmitted but now has an indicative height of six, seven and eight storeys in response to CABE's criticisms of the previous proposals. And the Ringway/Corporation Street hotel-office building has been resubmitted in two forms: one includes the land of the car park and one doesn't. I know which I'd prefer!

An £80m Preston development will create more than 700 new jobs.

A 20-mooring marina, flanked on one side by shops, bars and restaurants, and a five-acre nature reserve will be among the spectacular additions to the 28-acre development at the former Cottam Hall brickworks, off Cottam Avenue, Preston.

The development will include a new housing complex, commercial properties close to the marina, and a police office.

Another part of the site will feature a new Tesco superstore and office space.

Artist impressions of how the huge site will look were released as building contractors John Turner and Sons start work on a £4m residential care home for the elderly, which is also part of the development.

Ian Rankin, chairman of John Turner and Sons, said: "Theoretically you could have someone who lives, shops, works and spends their leisure time on the site.

"That is quite idealistic but it does quite a lot for the existing community as well.

"The development will give Ingol and Tanterton access to canal walks and Preston Sports Arena which are quite difficult to access by foot or cycle at the moment. It will open up the whole west side of Tom Benson Way."

A public exhibition will be held at the end of this month at Cottam Community Centre when more details on the ambitious scheme will be made available to residents.

Developers will then examine feedback and hope to submit a planning application in April.
http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/6171/img036ag4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/527/img037vr0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Be very interested to see the sketches for this. Will have a big impact on the area and has been a ripe site for development for far too long now. Has a big impact on my immediate local area when at home too.

Much more comprehensive than I had expected. I thought it was just gonna be a Tesco's!

Ian Rankin, chairman of John Turner and Sons, said: "Theoretically you could have someone who lives, shops, works and spends their leisure time on the site.

And that is a good thing?

The new screens at Preston station have been fitted.

that builing has gone on Lawson Street, and there is a big hole at the Oakleigh site, woo hoo

It was the end of an era for Preston's legal quarter when the bulldozers moved in.

The building, on Lawson Street, was used as offices for a team of barristers, but it has been knocked down to make way for a new apartment block.

The road was closed on Saturday morning as specialist equipment, including a 20-ton digger, was brought in to help bring the old building down piece by piece.

Steve Burke, of demolition firm Construction Partnership UK, said: "A lot of planning and organisation has gone into making sure the demolition work goes smoothly.

"The demolition certainly attracted interest from early morning shoppers and people going to work when it got underway on Saturday."

Preston-based developers Downtown Living is drawing up plans for the new homes before applying for planning permission from the council.

So we can hopefully expect to see a different design to what was previously proposed

A host of national restaurant chains are in talks about opening a branch in a neglected area of Preston, according to a local entrepreneur.

Adam Franklin, the founder of Tango Joe's brasserie, has revealed he is in talks with "major national operators" about taking up a second premises he has acquired on Church Street in the city centre.

Developers are expected to move in to start work this week after the business was granted planning permission to renovate the former Wilkinson's premises by the city council's planning committee yesterday.

Mr Franklin said: "We hope to be open by the third or fourth week of April and we aim to get building work started straight away as soon as planning permission has been granted.

"The idea is to create two restaurants, one which will be Tango Joe's and a second which we have given a working title of Restaurant Too.

"We are talking to a number of national operators about taking the second premises and there has been strong interest, they can see the potential behind what we are trying to do."

Mr Franklin, who is relocating Tango Joe's from its former premises on Strand Road, revealed his plans to bring a restaurant revolution to the neglected city centre street in Business and Money in January.

He has been locked in talks with Christie and Co, one of the top estate agents in the hospitality business, about bringing a major chain to the area.

The entrepreneur said: "We are trying to bring something different to this area of Preston which seems to be dominated by bars, pubs and takeaways at the moment.

"I am not knocking these businesses because they play a part, but if we can make a success of these restaurants it could start something really exciting for Church Street."

Tango Joe's has also applied for a licence to serve alcohol until midnight at the new restaurant, but Mr Franklin told the Evening Post yesterday he feared the application could stall over police concerns about a booze culture on Church Street.

The application is due to be heard by the licensing committee of Preston Council in the next two months.

The new screens at Preston station have been fitted.

At long last! Now all they need to do is sort the stupid echoey tannoy out.


re: the new restaurant, i expect it'll be a Nando's or Chiquitos or something.

Ambitious plans to create a new £80m community in the heart of Preston have been attacked by residents and businesses.

Preston-based builder John Turner and Sons is to apply to the council to redevelop the former Cottam Hall Brickworks on Tom Benson Way, creating 700 new jobs.

But now the residents of the streets which back on to the site are bracing themselves for a fight with the developers over the siting of two office blocks less than 100m away from their homes.

The units will have enough space to hold up to 600 people and will have 300 parking spaces.

But local people say this is not enough to stop workers parking on the quiet estate, and could lead to a traffic nightmare similar to that experienced in other parts of the city.

Shops in the centre of Ingol also fear they may be forced out of business if a supermarket giant was allowed to open on their doorstep.

A 20-mooring marina, offices, homes, bars, restaurants, and a planned new Tesco superstore have all been earmarked for the site.

Work has already begun to build a new care home for people with dementia, run by Lancashire County Council.

A previous application for the same site was submitted in 2002 but was turned down by Preston Council amid concerns it could jeopardise development plans for Cottam village centre.

More than 2,000 residents in Ingol also signed a petition then, saying the plans would "disadvantage" local people.

John Lamb, 64, who lives on Dunoon Close, said local people supported the plans to redevelop the site, but had "major concerns" about the offices and Tesco.

Mr Lamb, who opposed the 2002 plans, said: "Where are all these people going to park their cars?

"If there aren't enough spaces for everyone at the office, they will just park on the streets nearby, outside people's homes.

"Look what happened to the residents living in the area around Williams Lane. Things have got so bad the council is putting down yellow lines.

"We don't want that to be the situation here in a few years' time."

He told the Evening Post he has the support of his neighbours and plans to start a petition which he will send to the council and John Turner.

Local businesses, including the local pharmacy, off-licence, bakery and petrol station are also backing his campaign.

Will people ever just shut the f*ck up and accept change?

Will people ever just shut the f*ck up and accept change?

I notice one thing in the local paper, those opposing things e.g. this, Tithebarn, Preston becoming a unitary authority etc all generally seem to be of an elderly persuasion!

"Eeeh, no need t'change anything"

Farmers' markets are to be held in Preston and are set to provide a fresh attraction to Sunday shoppers in the city.

The first will take place at the outdoor market on April 29.

It will feature street performers to make sure it gets off to a colourful start.

The farmers' market is the brainchild of Preston Chamber of Trade and the North West Fine Foods agency.

They are looking to emulate the success of similar events such as the farmers' market in Ashton-under-Lyne which attracts more than 11,000 visitors.

Nicholas Watson, joint chief executive of the Chamber of Trade, said the event would be held at least once a month - or possibly more often if it was a success.

He said: "The establishment of Preston Farmers' Market is a real coup for the city and helps to fulfil our vision of making Preston a Go To' destination through the creation of events that will increase footfall in the city centre.

"Through the invaluable assistance of NW Fine Foods and Preston City Council, we are able to celebrate the rich diversity of local food producers in the immediate area at one of the city's hidden gems - the covered market."

Interest in the market from retailers has been good with North West Fine Foods keen to get local suppliers on board.

Sue Nelson, chief executive of North West Fine Foods said: "Around Preston we have a cluster of excellent fine food producers. Great cheesemakers such as Dew-Lay, Mrs Kirkham's, Leagram, Butlers and Shorrocks.

"At the moment these Lancashire producers are selling in cities such as Manchester and Liverpool and at food events and farmers' markets across the region.

"It's madness they don't sell their wonderful produce in the nearest city to where it's made or reared."

The market has the full backing of Preston City Council which believes that the market will be an important addition to the ongoing retail redevelopment of the city.

Coun Martin Rawlinson, cabinet member for resources, said: "We already have a thriving indoor market in Preston selling a wide range of quality food at excellent prices. But we believe there is room in Preston for both markets. Indeed, it would bring more people into the heart of the city and potentially benefit both markets."

Anyone wanting more information about stalls for the market is asked to contact Karen Lamb at North West Fine Foods on 01695 732734 or visit the website at www.prestonfarmersmarket.com

The farmers' market is the brainchild of Preston Chamber of Trade and the North West Fine Foods agency.

Brainchild?? Farmer's Markets have been going on in other cities for years!

However, I'll not knock it until it happens. I love Farmer's Markets and hopefully this one will be eaiser to access than the one at Hoghton Tower. Also, hopefully it won't be like the laughable World Food Fair at that International City Festival "thing" a few years back!! :lol:

A planning application has FINALLY been submitted to demolish the college's sports block off Winckley Square and erect a four and six storey building to contain 47 apartments.
I was looking at the architects' website and came across this! http://www.evoarchitects.co.uk/Project.aspx?id=6 Not that it will ever happen but still interesting!

Yeah. you're right that would never happen. There is no way th roads would be able to cope with the pressure. Especially when they tried to reject a comparatively small mosque across the road for such reasons.

It is interesting though. Good find

I haven't been to Preston for years... Was brought up in Lancashire and used to have to pick up my girlfriend from Preston station when she came up from Brum... Last time I went, they'd demolished a huge chunk of that "high street" leading down towards the University! Sounds like some good developments going on. Saw Jethro Tull at the Guild Hall once.

Are the demolishing that awful car park/bus station?

If it was the late 80s/early 90s, it's probably the building of the inner ring-road that has obliterated Preston's heart but it's still managed to survive! And yes, the bus station is being knocked down in 2009 (or so it is planned) for the £650 million Tithebarn Regeneration Project (see page 47)!

Builders have moved in to begin work on a new pavilion which, together with an outdoor performance area, will replace the former bandstand demolished a year ago in Avenham Park.

It will house a café, exhibition and workshop space, park ranger base, toilets and drop-in centre for the police On The Beat scheme.

Other improvements at the Grade II listed park will include the refurbishment of historic features, including the Swiss Chalet and Belvedere, improvements to the entrance gates, boundary walls, railings and cycle routes, and improved lighting and signage.

The restoration project is being funded by Heritage Lottery Fund, AvenCentral Partnership (SRB), Preston Council, Lancashire County Council and European Regional Development Fund.

Tony Jones, regional manager of the Heritage Lottery Fund, said: "We've committed £2.8m towards the restoration of the parks and are pleased to see work progressing to ensure the parks reach their full potential as a haven for local people."

:) Great to see this getting off the ground.

Great to see this getting off the ground.

Agreed.

All that is needed now is some hidden machine gun nests just in case any brainless vandals take a dislike to any of it.

Preston could be getting a little bit of London to spice up its shopping offer, it has been revealed.

"Bond Street" style shops and boutiques are high of on the wish list to sit alongside John Lewis in the £500m Tithebarn transformation.

Council chiefs refused to be drawn on the exact identity of any stores but Bond Street houses branches of most of the leading premium priced designer brands in the world.

The West End street, which runs from Piccadilly to Oxford Street, is currently home to expensive names such as Nicole Fahri, Chanel and Gianni Versace.

Jim Carr, chief executive of Preston Council, said: "What we're looking for in the scheme is a good mix between national names we don't currently have in Preston, and bringing some real quality stuff in - Bond Street-type names. It's all commercially sensitive but the ambitions are high."

A confidential list has been drawn up of stores willing to open in the city, and Grosvenor is leading on the talks.

Richard Sullivan, joint chief executive of the Preston Chamber of Trade, agreed the city needed big names, but also needed to promote its individuality.

He said: "You've got to be sure there's a market there with the income and inclination. It's okay in London because there are people walking out of ivory towers willing to spend £900 on a suit.

"People go to Manchester and Liverpool to get something that's not available in Preston so we've got to drive them back. But, at the moment, it's difficult to say if there's a thirst for the High Street boutique type shops in Preston."

In 2001, the city was seen to have landed a coup when it attracted trendy fashion chain GAP to the High Street. But, just three years later, the Fishergate store closed, citing a failure to bring in enough profits. It was replaced by Asda clothing brand, George.

One of the big successes in recent times has been the cut-price clothing outlet, Primark, also in Fishergate, which opened in June 2006. Extra staff were put on for the opening days to cope with the demand.

Meanwhile, an acclaimed artist and architect has been employed to draw up public art for the Tithebarn scheme.

Alfredo Jaar will talk about his ideas when he visits the University of Central Lancashire later this month.

Well, I think Bond Street is a little far-fetched but this is still good news that the recent John Lewis announcement is attracting real interest. However, it annoys me that they're always so secretive about identifying the stores. This is Preston, not MI5!

Would have my doubts but its nice to see them thinking bold!

The GAP fiasco was hilarious, so funny that the town better suited George by Asda!

Tesco should never have closed down... :no:

Tesco should never have closed down...
Quite agree, I made good use of that place.

I notice yesterdays LEP had a response to Tark's dad's letter. I have to say, as a South Ribble resident, I agree with many of the new points made. (Sorry!)

A former bank is in line for a new lease of life, it emerged today.

It is understood the former TSB building in Church Street, opposite Preston Minster, may be turned into flats and shops.

The ornate listed building, on the edge of the £500m Tithebarn regeneration area, has stood empty for a decade -but now talks are underway with developers to reinvent the building once described as one of Preston's "hidden and forgotten gems" and a "key building in the history and future development of Preston".

There has been little visible change at the building since 2002 when plans to turn it into a £2m "super pub" fell through over licensing issues.

It followed more than two years of wrangling, including a landmark appeal hearing in front of independent magistrates at Preston Crown Court.

Since then, the building has been snapped up by Lancashire County Developments Limited, which provides economic development functions for Lancashire County Council.

The building neighbours the former Wilkinson's store which is also empty but will be the new home for restaurant Tango Joe's, which recently moved from Strand Road. It is due to open next month.

Mike Thorpe, head of licensing at Preston Council, oversaw the "super pub" saga and said: "Perhaps it will bring more people into that area who are put off by stories of drunkenness and violence.

"A drinking establish would have some difficulty in obtaining an alcohol licence because the council has a policy not to allow any such premises in that area unless it can be proved it can reduce crime and disorder."

The building, erected in 1690, was Preston's first bank, run by Edward Pedder, a senior partner in Pedder and Co.

The bank opened for business in 1776 but closed suddenly in 1861 when Mr Pedder died.

The following year, the Manchester and County Bank opened a branch there.

A spokesman for Lancashire County Council said he was unable to give any information about the exact nature of the project because talks were at a sensitive stage.

He said: "Negotiations are occurring for the future use of the building."

Sounds good - even better if they'd knock down the revolting building next door to it

Did anyone see the small caption on the front of todays LEP? Possible 750 jobs from Eddie Stobart if they cannot build their depot in Carlisle, which is looking likely due to red tape up their. That would be fantastic!

Not been to Preston for ages then BAM! Jury Duty! There each day now for the next two weeks.

Did anyone see the small caption on the front of todays LEP? Possible 750 jobs from Eddie Stobart if they cannot build their depot in Carlisle, which is looking likely due to red tape up their. That would be fantastic!

I think they'd be foolish to build at Carlisle, it just isn't located as well as Preston is. What's more I reckon an Eddie move might attract a good number of other firms realted to distribution an logistics.

Their location in Carlisle is at the airport though. Although Carlisle airport is pretty pathetic, its a slight advantage.

Some nice renders of the Cottam Brickworks development in todays LEP. Will post up in the morning. BTW, tomorrow, I'm going to start the task of rebuilding the projects list. I kinda abandoned it last year when things slowed down and the LEP changed all their image URL's (real pain in the arse)

Here you go, Accura. I've saved you a job - you've got enough to do with that project list!
http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/515/marina1cg9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/4726/marinaplanmb5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Cheers :)

http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/9261/cabemodelimage12lz4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/3382/cabemodelimage22ng3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/7573/cabemodelimage42ds5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)[/QUOTE]

dunno how relevant this is, but i live overlooking this site and i was awoken this morning by noises coming from this site which i thought was empty. on closer inspection there was a digger and too work men digging a small deep hole. as i was running late i couldnt take a pic. also was dark tonight when i got home but iwill check tomorrow to see if there is any evidence as to what is going on. test piles maybe?

Thanks for that, Home. I haven't driven past there in a while but I think it is site preparation for the Linen Buildings.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/151/430561566_6f63c1ad40.jpg?v=0

no action today im afraid. you can see where they filled the hole though.

Preston's dream of having its own council lies in tatters after government ministers rejected the city's bid.

Preston Council's ambition to break away from county hall and go it alone as a unitary authority was seen as "financially unviable" by ministers.

The news, due to be officially announced on Monday, will come as a devastating blow to Preston Council bosses and councillors who put the independence bid at the top of their wish list.

It comes after Lancashire Evening Post readers overwhelmingly rejected the idea of a new Preston Council which would also control schools and social services. In a poll which attracted nearly 600 replies, over 70% voted against the proposal.

Preston public says no to unitary council

But, bizarrely, a radical shake-up of local government across Lancashire is still very much on the cards, according to the city's MP.

Preston MP Mark Hendrick said the city could still feasibly merge with councils such as South Ribble and Chorley in a new super authority.

Talking after a meeting with local government minister Phil Woolas, Mr Hendrick said: "This isn't the end of the story. The situation with Lancashire is ongoing. After the announcement next week there is going to be a lot more negotiation."

Coun Howard Gore, leader of South Ribble Council and an architect of its failed bid to merge with Preston, said a large unitary council could now be imposed on parts of Lancashire.

It was obvious that this was what was going to happen ever since South Ribble pulled out. If we are refused unitary status then Preston City Council at least need to be given more control over what happens in Preston to avoid Tithebarn (and Riverworks) falling flat on their faces, which is exactly what will happen if the Pre-historic Lancashire County Council are given the controls. However, I don't think Preston going alone was the answer, it needed South Ribble to make up that all important city population. A major blow to Preston's future but there's not a lot that can be done. You can't beat corrupt forces like LCC!

The 10-storey student building on Moor Lane has begun!

Yeah I've been watching the demolition on this one from eat_at_joes on Flickr:
http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/9295/moorlaneconstvm7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
I contacted the developers a while back about getting some renders but, no surprise, I haven't had a reply.

Ah, cheers for that! This year is gonna be a goodun for construction, and about bloody time!
The Linen Buildings, this, Einstein's Theory, Canterbury Hall, The Pavillion Stand at Deepdale, The Avenham Park Pavillion, Oakleigh, the thing across the road, the Marsh Lane hotel and the new student block, the Faculty of Dentistry, The Media Building, Tulketh Mill, Cottam Brickworks (hopefully)...

so that is what the drilling rig was for that i spotted on fri. could see it looming behind whitindale when i was going into the victoria building on friday!

Architect Alfredo Jaar believes the Tithebarn development should have something unique.

Internationally-renowned architect Alfredo Jaar and Charles Quick, a lecturer from the city's university, believe the multi-million pound development must become more than just a massive shopping centre if it is to put Preston on the map.

The pair have been brought in by the city's council as lead artists to work alongside the Tithebarn's architects and developers to inject artistic flair into the design.

Chilean-born Mr Jaar, who was in the city to present his cultural vision for the redevelopment to council bosses, said: "The first thing I noticed about Preston was the amount of striking architectural elements it has for such a small city, which made it quite unique, and speaking to people here there was a desire to create something unique in this development."

Mr Quick believes the city can learn from its past when it looks to write the next chapter in its history.

He said: "Look at how people actually moved the River Ribble to build the docks, and flattened a large part of the town centre to build an iconic piece of architecture in the Harris Museum and art gallery."

The project will see the city's bus station demolished and replaced by a four-storey John Lewis department store, a 12-screen cinema and leisure facilities.

Hopefully a tall iconic building!
This is great. I was hoping for something along these lines to be built. Nice to see them getting down and dirty with the details on Tithebarn now :)

Went past the Lawson Street mystery site today. It looks like they are beginning construction on the apartment block, because there was a crane, a drilling rig, and several diggers working away. I take it that means they got planning permission for whatever it is they're building.

There was a small article in last nights Evening Post saying that Construction Partnership Ltd has got the contract for the apartment building (which the paper says is seven storeys tall) and that a Preston firm, Downtown Living, is drawing up plans for the building. But with so much going on on-site already, the development may be further ahead than I'd originally thought.

Whats this 10 storey look like, I didn't see any images on the projects page, unless I missed it..

We dont know, but expect it to look a lot like the student block next door, because its being built by the same developers.

I stumbled across this article last night:
http://www.preston.gov.uk/Documents/General/Planning/CBD%20Masterplan%20Brief%20Final.pdf
It's the CBD Proposal document (dated this month) and show's the REAL preferred location for the project, not on Friargate as the old plans showed. Looking at the plans, it could mean the resiting of the Ringway extension. No, correction, it BETTER mean resiting it because that curvy bend it currently has would botch the entire development.
http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/8040/cbdlocationwn0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/38/lancashireuniversity816jh4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

It would make sense to locate the business district close to the railway station, taking advantage of our excellent connections. There are also plenty of available sites to either side of the tracks and for businesses working with county hall it would also be well place for that.

I still think one of the better solutions is just to bury a section of the ringway making the land above available for development whilst removing an eyesore. I've gone back on my old riend google earth and drawn it up. Most of the development along the cut and cover route wouldn't be missed. I even think the topography lends itself to a tunnel because I seem to recall that the bypass stretch next to the railway is in a dip and so coming through the bank under brunel court would be a logical entry/exit point for the tunnel. With any luck the land freed up could help fund the works.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v379/Prestonian/ringway2.jpg

Only two planning applications submitted today worthy of a mention. One for a seven storey apartment building with retail units just off Church Street (on Church Row) however, this falls within the TRA so the council had better be careful. Also a five storey building down Cannon Street with restaurant at ground level and apartments on the other levels.

Had a walk around the docks today, so much wasted potential :( Still some reasonable projects on the way like Royal Locks, which i think will make a massive difference, and it was nice to see steam trains running.

I hear that Preston is gonna be the next big thing boys... time to start buying up those boarded up places near the docks! ;)

I hear that Preston is gonna be the next big thing boys... time to start buying up those boarded up places near the docks! ;)

What boarded up places?!?!

I hear that Preston is gonna be the next big thing boys... time to start buying up those boarded up places near the docks! ;)
With Tithebarn, Riverworks, the Central Business District and other schemes, investment currently stands at around £2.25 billion so I guess Preston's not doing too bad although with Lancashire County Council still shaking its [ugly] power stick at us, we probably won't get as much as we could.
Anyway, the Einstein's Theory pub on Moor Lane is history! More apartments on the way (I think they are 5/6 storeys).
http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/295/einsteinscm3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Image: eat_at_joes

About time! Considering we have been waiting for what seems like forever for demolition to begin on this, they got rid of it quick enough.

They can go ahead and build the new ringway right through Brunel court, that'll teach the bastards!

On other (non important be it) news, my current design project is redeveloping the grassy site between the Guild and St Johns off Lancaster road, facing the bus station (SS8 in the local plan i think).. Whilst our group has been given pretty much free reign of the site, I have developed a multi-use curvey tower to fit alongside the listed mill building (no one else has been allowed to go beyond 5 floors in my group, I'm just stubborn) so when my conceptual design is looking decent, i'll post it up on the forum and see what the preston residents think of having a new tower amongst the skyline :P

Sounds great ferge, I look forward to seeing it!
Re: Einstein's - they probably are going to build now with spring and summer about but it may have only been demolished to stop it getting torched again!
As for 10 storey tower, I was driving past there today and the site is massive! I just hope we see some (good!) renders soon.

On other (non important be it) news, my current design project is redeveloping the grassy site between the Guild and St Johns off Lancaster road, facing the bus station (SS8 in the local plan i think).. Whilst our group has been given pretty much free reign of the site, I have developed a multi-use curvey tower to fit alongside the listed mill building (no one else has been allowed to go beyond 5 floors in my group, I'm just stubborn) so when my conceptual design is looking decent, i'll post it up on the forum and see what the preston residents think of having a new tower amongst the skyline :P
So UCLan are developing a real project for this site? Interesting stuff! Make sure you give us something good! That area of grass is where all the staff from Preston Office Centre assemble during an evacuation.

Preston's not doing too bad although with Lancashire County Council still shaking its [ugly] power stick at us, we probably won't get as much as we could.

Speaking to a senior PCC Planner in the pub a couple of weeks ago prior to the Unitary Authority thing going tits up, he said the entire department was getting increasingly frustrated in trying to achieve anything in Preston due to the non-cooperation and continual blocking tactics used by LCC against PCC. No doubt, now that PCC has failed in its Unitary bid, LCC will continue to invoke more arbitary and capricious decisions to limit the economic advancement of Preston in a misguided attempt to try and make the rest of the county look "better".
:bash:

no no nooo Accy, its just a project.. its not real, although we have done a project for Blackpool council and at present they are doing the costing on one of our designs, after Easter we're all travelling upto Blackpool so they can announce who is having their entry actually built, its a scheme which if successful could go right across the burough.

This preston site design is pure fantasy unfortunately, cos I'd like mine to be built, lol..

New render of the Cottam Works Development:
http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/4493/img040xv9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

^ooo that looks quite smart. There was a letter from a woman local to the scheme in the citizen the other day praying that there would be a nice cafe or wine bar or something in the scheme. The tables on the left suggest there may well be such a thing there. I certainly hope so as the area lacks a community focal point at present and really needs one!

===

article in todays LEP also heralds the start of the new barton grange on April 10th. I think this is a really nice little project and should attract people to the area.

I believe there is also a Morrisons in that plan?

It's a Tesco and will be an eco-friendly building made from said materials and with solar panels on the roof (reported a few weeks ago in the LEP).

It's a Tesco and will be an eco-friendly building made from said materials and with solar panels on the roof (reported a few weeks ago in the LEP).

Yeah, thats there new flat pack store deisgn, they are quite nice actually.

Have you finished working at Tesco?

Have you finished working at Tesco?

Yep, but only very recently, can't say i'll miss it too much ;) Why do you ask?

It'll be along the lines of this store in wick:

http://www.chainstoreage.com/csa/webexclusive/images/tesco27.jpg
http://www.chainstoreage.com/csa/webexclusive/images/tesco27.jpg

Hehe, thats quite funny.
I was just curious if you still worked there. Its always slightly bugged me that one of the few other Preston forumers on here works at a rival and far more successful big box retailer than I :(

06/2007/0331 Change of use of ground and part of first floor from retail (Class A1) to food and drinking establishment (Class A3/A4) including extensions and alterations to front and side, glazed canopy and raised decking area to side of premises
Parish:127-129 Church Street Preston
Applicant /Agent: JD Wetherspoon Plc Wetherspoon House Reeds Crescent Watford WD1 1QH
Harrsion Ince Architects 2 Jordan Street Knott Mill Manchester M15 4PY

Or a lloyds?

[QUOTE=Prestonian;12501804
===

article in todays LEP also heralds the start of the new barton grange on April 10th. I think this is a really nice little project and should attract people to the area.[/QUOTE]

I can assure you that the Toppings are absolute heathens when it comes to quality design. Their only interest is in making money - they spend for profit rather than invest in quality (in their buildings - I have no comment on their merchandise). This mediocre development should have been refused unless it was linked in with the much needed new M6 junction between J31 (Broughton) and J32 (Lancaster South) near Garstang south. But the ignoramouses at the Highways Agency who presumably all live and never move out of London are determined to congest and ruin our local infrastructure and greensword (due to the un-needed alternative Broughton bypass which will destroy our greenbelt rather than allow this much needed new junction).

Or a lloyds?
The building is on the corner of Manchester Road and Church Street (the old bike shop) so it's a strange place for this type of development plus is sits where they are planning to site the bus station so I can't see it going ahead. In this location anyway.

been lurking in the forum for a while now so i have decided to join, and what better place for my first post than on my home citys thread. some good developments going to be started in the city. its about time, its pretty much looked the same for as long as i can remember (i'm 18) apart from the demolition of the moor lane flats. Talking of moor lane its amazing how much constructon just seems to have popped up there. Also great news on getting john lewis, just hope the cinema isnt just a metal shed and i wish guild house didnt have to go. though it might not be the best looking building i quite like it and when coming to preston from bamber bridge it balances the skyline, without it the 2 grey avenhm towers will dominate!

Welcome to the forum :) I'm also 18, and I know exactly how you feel. The only major construction I can ever remember in Preston is the new courts being built.

thanks. i can vaguely remember them going up. can also remember the moor lane flats coming down, but mum wouldnt take me so i never saw it happen :ohno:
its about time some new stuff went up around here!

p.s. does anyone have any pics of the moor lane flats and there destruction?

More than 6,500 new homes could be built in Preston before 2021, the Evening Post can reveal.

Car parks and derelict land could be built on, empty homes bought back into use and commercial buildings converted as the council strives to meet Government housing needs.

City planners have come up with a blueprint to meet the growing demand for homes, while ensuring they hit a Lancashire target of providing 70% of new housing built on previously developed land by 2008. They have identified potential for 6,505 new homes.

More than 2,000 of these could be built on previously developed and derelict land - 91 sites have been identified for 2,186 homes.

Another 443 homes could be built on city centre pay-and-display car parks including St Mary's in Friargate, Hill Street and Walker Street.

The list also reveals plans to build 163 homes on the site of a warehouse in Holme Slack Lane, Deepdale, plus 458 in West Strand/Channel Way, and 52 in place of a derelict mill on the Jubilee Trading Estate, close to the university.

David Kearsley, senior planning officer at Preston Council, said Preston needed to expand its offer of "city centre living" to become the North West's third city.

He said: "If we're trying to attract these better, blue chip, well-paid office jobs, building houses in the city centre will provide the workforce with somewhere close to live.

"We've got to look at places like Liverpool and Manchester and the benefits that they've got from creating a place where people want to be at night and not just for going to the pubs and clubbing."

But regeneration expert Andrew Harris, managing director of the Partnership Project, based on Marsh Lane, Preston, said turning commercial land into residential could cause other problems.

He said: "There's certainly a need for much more housing but we can't just do it by the comfortable option of brownfield sites only.

"They tend to re-zone commercial and car parking for residential use which will obviously create a knock-on effect because we do need employment and economic activity as well."

And Michael Welsh, councillor for Preston North East, said motorists would suffer if car parks were lost. He said: "Unless there's provision to replace car parks, it doesn't make any sense to pull them down.

"Houses will attract more cars and then there will be problems with congestion. I think this reflects a fashionable idea to get cars out of the city centre and get people to walk, cycle or use park and rides. These kinds of Government schemes are causing a lot of anger and the idea that people will stop using their cars is fanciful."

Meanwhile, 1,599 of the 6,000 new homes could come from developments with planning permission already secured.

:ohno: Let's hope they don't get over-excited and use up all the prime development land!
Pictures of Moor Lanes demolition can be found at: http://www.flickr.com/groups/prestonfound/pool/

thanks for the link, some amazing pics on there. makes me sick though how much was torn down for that ring road:bash:
wonder if people will look back on pictures of the bus station and think the same? also would love to know how they plan on putting 163 homes on the derelict warehouse on home slack lane? its not that big!

Interesting stuff in the LEP today (or should I say yesterday now), however its not really anything we didnt already know, simply because its already happening.
Just look at Lawson Street, Avenham, the uni, Fox Street... all developments on car parks.
Speaking of developments on car parks... the surface one on the corner of Manchester Road, Lark Hill, and Queen Street has been fenced off. I'm not sure, but I think it might be for the new 6-storey building at the Newman College. Should be pretty substantial considering its not resi.

A tiny bit of more detailed info on Tithebarn:
http://www.grosvenor.com/Investment+And+Development/Britain+and+Ireland/Locations/England/Preston.htm

The proposed 1.6 million sq ft Tithebarn development is a £600m retail-led, mixed-use urban regeneration project. Grosvenor has exchanged a Development Agreement with Preston City Council and has secured John Lewis as the scheme's primary anchor tenant.

In addition to the 230,000 sq ft John Lewis Department store, the Tithebarn project will include a new 150,000 sq ft variety store, 85 new shops, over 20 new restaurants, a refurbished market, multi-screen cinema, other leisure facilities, approximately 550 new homes, a health and fitness centre and over 2,700 car parking spaces. The scheme will provide a mixture of new buildings and refurbishment of existing buildings serving to regenerate the eastern side of Preston city centre.

^ for those to lazy to click!

and what the hell do they mean by a "variety store" is it any different to a dept store?

wonder if they will call it preston one when its underway in a similar way that they did in liverpool.

What the hell do they mean by a "variety store" is it any different to a dept store?
There were talks a while back about M&S being the 'second' anchor store so maybe this is looking promising, although frighteningly variety stores are normally cheap shops selling little bits and bobs!

super poundland anyone?

A tiny bit of more detailed info on Tithebarn:
http://www.grosvenor.com/Investment+...nd/Preston.htm

Odd that the chosen photo shows hardly any of the Tithebarn area!

Pub chain JD Wetherspoon is looking to turn a high street motorbike shop site into its second outlet in Preston city centre.

The company has submitted an application to Preston Council to transform the Fastline Superbikes Centre, at the Church Street and Manchester Road junction, into a pub and restaurant.

It is one of the first major companies to make public its interest in an area due to be redeveloped as part of the Tithebarn scheme.

The shop is currently rented by the motorbike store from a private landlord.

Wetherspoons' interest is expected to be the first of a number of big-name firms making moves to get involved with the multi-million pound redevelopment.

The chain currently operates Greyfriars on Fishergate.

A spokesman for JD Wetherspoon today confirmed it had lodged an application for permission to change the use of the premises to a "food and drinking establishment".

The proposals include extensions and alterations to the front and side of the building, a glazed canopy and a raised decking area at the side of the premises.

Business bosses have welcomed the application for a site in a neglected area of the city, although they said the plans are more likely to be preparation for the area's proposed redevelopment.

Richard Sullivan, joint chief executive of the Preston Chamber of Trade, said: "It does appear to be more about booking your place at the table for the Tithebarn and it is good that a national firm like Wetherspoons is showing an interest, even at this early stage."

"It is accepted that Church Street is an area in need of a shot in the arm and interest in the area from a Wetherspoons could do just that."

:cheers: Like the article says, I think this investment is more planning for tomorrow rather than today but still it's great to see the Tithebarn area seeing interest so soon.

Pub chain JD Wetherspoon is looking to turn a high street motorbike shop site into its second outlet in Preston city centre.

Why open a pub in a location that is due to be bulldozed??? Not to mention why there anyway, it's not exactly going to attract a high calibre of clientele? (Just my opinion!)

Considering it's only for a day, the proposal to pedestrianise Fishergate that the LEP reported on last week is a very limp-wristed half-hearted approach. It should be closed from Lancaster Road to Corporation street, and also close Chapel Street and upper Lune Street with 2 way access to the St George's multi-storey car-park (except for the Park & Ride buses, since they can't turn round). I don't think we'll learn anything much from such a limited experiment.

Traffic ban on city's main street

Preston's busiest high street is set to be closed for 24 hours to trial plans for it to be pedestrianised.

Officials have confirmed talks are under way to shut Fishergate for a day in September as it tests proposals to make the street more shopper-friendly.

The closure is planned to coincide with European Car Free Day on Saturday, September 22, and would see buses, cars and taxis all denied access to the street between its Cheapside and Lune Street junctions.

But bosses at the city's Preston Bus fear the closure will affect hundreds of passengers who would normally catch buses from the city centre.

A spokesman for Lancashire County Council, which controls all Preston's roads, said the closure would allow it, Preston Council, the police and city centre traders to gauge the reaction of people to pedestrianisation, which has been suggested in the Tithebarn redevelopment project for the area.

He said: "There are potential benefits for pedestrians and the city centre as a whole which can only be judged by testing it out for real and there will be advanced publicity to help visitors on the day and special events to attract more people to the city centre."

However, managing director Peter Bell, of Preston Bus, fears its services will suffer similar problems as when a section of Fishergate was shut at the end of January following high winds. He claims its services saw 15,000 fewer travellers.

Mr Bell said: "The trouble is that it gets very congested on places like Ringway because traffic gets diverted. There is evidence from other big cities that pedestrianisation can work alongside bus services and we would hope we would be consulted if this happened in Preston."

A Preston Council spokesman added that pedestrianisation would make it a "more friendly environment" for shoppers and hoped the it would be a good acid test for the plans.

Shopkeepers on Fishergate have long campaigned for the area to be paved off and the Preston Chamber Trade has given a cautious welcome.

Yup, doing that is pretty pointless. The busiest section of Fishergate in pedestrian terms is the bit in between St Georges and the Fishergate centre.
Speaking of Fishergate, they have put in some rather nice street furniture down there. The most interesting ones are the signs at the entrances to all the streets running off Fishergate, telling people whats down them.

I know this shouldn't go in here cos its not real but I previously mentioned I was doin a project for the site opposite the road from the bus station so thought I'd see what the locals would make of it, lol..

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1430/5875668/13040409/246560598.jpg

hehe! thats super ferge! Nice bit of work there :)

There is evidence from other big cities that pedestrianisation can work alongside bus services and we would hope we would be consulted if this happened in Preston."

You'd need to make the speed limit 10mph. At least you'd stand a chance of the Preston Bus drivers doing 30mph. :lol:

lol, saw that model of yours ferge and was all excited for a minute then a reaslised it wasn't real :(

Great job! :)

yer i got excited to, looks rather nice. also a temporary sign has gone up for Mercury Flux on Corporation Street, woo for another venue in preston!

Another Tesco Metro is opening in town. This time in Avenham, smack bank next to Newman College. This is going to put a lot of people out of business.

Is that along with the proposed tesco metro on friargate? (I'm thinkin I heard there was one opening on there)...

Mercury Flux, I'm gonna have to see this to believe it! Space themed club/mosh pit in that building?! At least its across the road from Brunel court (kinda).... possibly make it all the way home on me feet from that distance!


ps.. I am sorry for any false excitement.. I'll put a planning application in shall I? who is with me, I can add about 40 quid to the kitty.. its a start, lol.

Do you not mean a Tesco Express? Where exactly will that be opening in Avenham? I can't think of any likely locations.

On Lark Hill, there is an abandoned pub, opposite Sid's newsagents, that is where it is going. And yup, Tesco Express is what I meant.

Larkhill Road presumably? I'm not overly familiar with the area, was thinking about Avenham Lane!

on mercury flux, if you look at all the gold they have covered it with on the outside it does look abit spacey-ish in a cheesey b-movie way.
on the tesco express cant see how thats going to do well, as once being a student there sids and naffia pretty much have the student market up there cornered. and all they but is pretty much drinks, sweets and fags.

Kaiser Chiefs, Scissor Sisters and Razorlight will head up the stunning line-up at Radio 1's Big Weekend in Preston.

The Fratellis, Mika, Natasha Bedingfield, Stereophonics and Kasabian will also star on the main stage during the glittering free event.

The View, Jamie T, Rihanna and Just Jack are also on the bill for Europe's largest free-ticketed music event.

Radio 1 DJs were announcing the big-name line-up live on air throughout the day on Monday, with 30 acts due to be confirmed altogether.

Other acts confirmed for the weekend include The Fray, Calvin Harris, The Twang, Bloc Party and Biffy Clyro.

The two-day extravaganza, which will take place on Saturday, May 19 and Sunday, May 20 at Preston's Moor Park. There will be three stages at this year's event for the first time and all the acts will perform for free.

Registration for the event started on Monday and tickets are free of charge.

How to get your Big Weekend tickets

Welsh rockers Stereophonics are one of the UK's best-known bands. They have now released five albums and played to sold-out arenas across Europe.

Kaiser Chiefs scooped a hatful of accolades in 2006, including the BRIT awards for British Rock Act and British Group and two NME awards, including Best Album.

Band member Peanut said: "It will be like a party with a DJ, except bigger."

The line-up so far

The Scissor Sisters are an American band who formed in 1996. Their most notable success to date came a decade later when single I Don't Feel Like Dancin' was the fourth best-selling record in the UK and stayed in the UK top 40 for 27 weeks.

After an initial 2004 release, Razorlight's hugely successful debut album Up All Night was re-issued in April 2005 with single Somewhere Else peaking at number two in the UK singles charts.

Glasgow trio The Fratellies recently scooped the Best Breakthrough Act at the Brit Awards following the release of their debut album which included Chelsea Dagger - their most successful single to date.

Vocalist Mika burst on to the UK music scene this year with the release of his debut album Life in Cartoon Motion in February. He said: "I like the fact there are so many different types of acts - it represents what's going on in the music scene today."

Natasha Bedingfield said she was excited about the event and looking forward to coming to Preston after spending recent months recording and perfoming in the US.

The singer, currently promoting single I Wanna Have Your Babies, said: "I can't wait."

Gordon Gibson of Preston's Action Records in Church Street, said: "It is absolutely brilliant for Preston. They are top names. I was quite surprised, they are massive and any one of them could play that venue on their own.

"It is going to be a massive weekend and a mad scramble for the tickets."

186,000+ registered as of this morning.

I did too. :) Well, you never know.

Your bus station is mint.

Innit!

Ha ha, I don't normally talk like that, any info on it? When it were built, size etc and photos?

The bus station was completed in 1969 and I'm not sure of the exact size but it has 80 bays and car parking for 1,100 cars. It should be history by 2010.
http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/30/busst1my4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/7687/busst3oo2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/134/busst2ba8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Photo credits: pjmimages, George D Thompson & Demos (Flickr)

The view from the top aint bad either, specially on a nice sunny day. They should at least try to salvage a portion of the building, it has historical merit irregardless of people's opinions of it.

Cheers mate, 80 bays? Thats bloody massive. Its a shame when they demolish good examples of 60s/70s architecture and that is one. What will it be replaced by?

two multi-storey car parks by the looks of the remodified plans, couldn't make it up!

two multi-storey car parks by the looks of the remodified plans, couldn't make it up!
Er, I don't think so.

The right hand end in the panoramic picture with be a new John Lewis department store, there'll be a new public square and street sided by retail and residential over the rest. One of the new car parks is further towards Ringway.

Look back at page 47, you can reference the location by the existing curved buildings of the Holiday Inn and New City House.

:( Such a shame, although the new plans are much needed and although they will more than likely contribute diddly squat to architecture they should be of more use to people. I just thing its sad that no effort at all was made to recycle it :(.

i agree its a shame apart of it cant be kept, possibly the guild hall end and grass over the taxi rank. could class the building in and the the cruvy conctrete bit into a balcony of sorts. if i was older and rich i would buy it just to save a peice of it. i am not for one second suggesting the whole thing should be kept, but judging from the odd picture of the redevelopment were getting samey wood cladded buildings. wood cladding by the way i hate, looks ok for a while but ages very very badly and do you really think it will ever be repainted? its a large area, we need variation.
btw that public square is a joke, looks about the same width as a road, we need more detailed plans.

I see everybody has missed the article about the new hotel on the Fox Street car park in todays Citizen :| One of the most impressive designs I've seen for Preston's projects.

Er, I don't think so.

The right hand end in the panoramic picture with be a new John Lewis department store, there'll be a new public square and street sided by retail and residential over the rest. One of the new car parks is further towards Ringway.

Look back at page 47, you can reference the location by the existing curved buildings of the Holiday Inn and New City House.

They may not be on the exact plot of the bus station but the two new car parks will be pretty much on its borders and my point was they are getting rid of all those car park spaces to build two multi storey car parks practically right behind it, hence me making the point that this mass redevelopment is stupid. Preston needs a skyline and whilst its existing towers are bad at best the result of this development will leave the skyline having 3 large carparks spread across it (the other being over the Mall), hardly the prosperous look the city claim will give them 3rd city of the northwest status!

Here is the said article...
http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/9347/hotelfoxstfn0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Plans for an ambitious £20million development at the site at the junction of Fox Street and Corporation Street are expected to be submitted this week.

Liverpool-based Amadeus Property and Development hope to build a landmark complex with a 126-room hotel and 56 apartments overlooking a central courtyard, with shops, a restaurant and bar on the groundfloor and private gardens for the apartments.

Amadeus director, Tim Mulholland, said: "This scheme will add another dimension to the continued regeneration of Preston, providing a landmark building on this prominent corner site.

"We are in advanced negotiations with a leading hotelier and several retailers and plan to commence development later this year".

Hundreds of jobs are likely to be created and the scheme has been welcomed by Richard Sullivan, of Preston Chamber of Trade. He said: "We've already got some quality hotels in the city, and any new hotels will just give this area another boost.

"The restaurant and retail plans will also add to Preston's thriving social scene, and it will be very good for the economy but what we do have to make sure is that Preston is promoted correctly so that there is demand for all these new facilities."

If approved, work will start later this year, with completion earmarked for Autumn 2008.

... I quite like it. The design is somewhat.. different and the tower sort of looks like something you'd see in an airfield but I still think it's quite retro. And at ten storeys, it will make a decent impression on the skyline. It's proximity to the train station and Fishergate make it an ideal location for a hotel as opposed to the Hill Street car park (which I'm hoping will get refused planning permission to allow for the CBD to develop). It's great to see this site progressing after so long (it's been about five years since those apartments were proposed!).

Wow it looks ace, this site has always been prime for something a bit daring. I take it this replaces the previous designs for the fox street apartments which were much more pedestrian. I really love the look of those penthouses!

Finally, something worth having a Preston development thread for, lol.. (ok, ok not discrediting the other projects but this is a bit more like it)

I'm struggling to pin point the location though, is this next to the ringway itself, with the corn exchange to its side (the area that at the moment has white hoardings up) opposite aldi and staples across the ringway, or is it further towards the train station?

This is the site ferge:
http://img485.imageshack.us/img485/6122/fishergate8165cv4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
I think the little wood shed church is staying :nuts: but maybe they'll relocate - it would look a bit bizarre standing next to this.

I think its best that the church stay there. If this proposes its demolition, then the heritage Nazi's will awaken.

least i know i was looking at the right location, lol.. should do wonders for the skyline from that angle then, least the car park wont be the dominant feature of this side of town.

The car park doesnt bother me too much. Its that ugly boarded up piece of crap which used to have Fylde Superbikes, which was painted GREY after boarding it up. I wont be sorry to see that go.

very nice looking, lets just hope it looks something like that if and when it gets built

Two recent planning applications I hadn't mentioned:
Grimshaw Street (must be an amendment to the previous plans)
Erection of three and four storey building to provide 25no. 1 and 2 bedroom residential apartments including balconies on rear elevation with associated landscaping and detached single storey tank, bin and cycle store to rear (following demolition of existing building).
On Fylde Road
Erection of five and six storey building (following demolition of existing buildings) to provide 44no. flats and 20no. studio bedsits to accommodate 246 student beds with ancillary community facilities, car parking and landscaping including new vehicle access and alteration to existing vehicle access from Fylde Road.
http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/5826/fylderdbj3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
I think it only concern this area rather than the entire site which is a shame, it looks a right sh*thole at the moment.

It wont be long before the university's expansion snakes down Fylde Road,and the rest of the street is regenerated. At the moment, it has been following Adelphi Street, but since the Business School was built, they have been blocked by the dense Plungington area, and can expand little further.

^ Those warehouses on the opposite side of the road have always been ripe for a refurb and redevelopment, especially so if they build the canal extension to the rear of them.

hasnt the university built the media factory on what would have been the marina?

hasnt the university built the media factory on what would have been the marina?
I'm not positive but I think I remember reading they had to build the foundations of the Media Factory a certain way to ensure the immediate area around it could be developed in the future (i.e. reinstating the canal).

Plans to transform a car park into a £20m hotel complex have been blasted because just 73 parking spaces have been proposed.

Hundreds of jobs could be created by the redevelopment of Preston's Fox Street car park into a 126-room hotel, 56 one and two bedroomed apartments and shops, restaurants and bars around a courtyard with piazza style eating areas and gardens.

The plans, submitted to Preston Council on Friday, are a further boost to the £450m Tithebarn scheme – a major development to revamp the city centre.

But critics have hit out at Liverpool-based Amadeus Property and Development after it emerged the parking spaces will be shared between hotel staff and visitors, apartment residents and existing and new businesses.

Coun Carl Crompton, of the city's University ward, said: "To have such a small percentage of spaces for a city centre location with a hotel of 126 rooms, 56 apartments and shops is outrageous. We'll have tremendous parking problems in the city and the outskirts. The developers need to take another look.

"However the principle of it is good as the Fox Street area needs revitalising."

Bob Hardman, who runs the Christian Bookshop on Fox Street, said: "I'm gobsmacked. To me there isn't any planning, it's just greed.

"I can't believe they would expect to do this when we have such major problems in the city already with parking.

"I have a specialist shop and people travel in just to visit it so the car park nearby is handy. The loss of nearby spaces will certainly affect us."

If approved, work will start later this year, with completion earmarked for Autumn 2008.

The current Fox Street pay-and-display car park, which would be redeveloped under the plans, has room for 110 spaces.

:bash: Yet more negative press from the LEP - do they ever focus on the positive aspects of anything? All I can see happening is the plans having to include some basement parking. I believe the site is a burial ground but the foundations are going to be pretty damned deep anyway so why not go the whole hog.
Anyway, a biiig crane is now on-site at the Marsh Lane hotel project as building officially starts! Thank God that medieval burial site didn't cause too much trouble, it got some good press actually!

Bloody typical. However, I dont think this will have too much of an effect on the a decision for the plans. Preston doesnt have a parking problem, its just certain people are too lazy to get off their arses and move a little. There are loads of car parks around the edge of the centre which dont fill up, like the one on Lawson Street, or the Avenham Multistorey. A SURFACE car park smack bang next to Fishergate is totally unrealistic.

hopefully some sort of marina will be built then. saw this on the front of the lep today. obviously they would rather we have what is there opposed to a nice new and not 2 shabby looking building. fools. what is it with people in this town who are opposed to any change at all!!! am sure it wasnt always a car park! also those buildings in friargate are now gone, any idea of whats going there or are we getting another car park :wallbash:
also noticed today they are starting to put the metal fences around moor park(wonder how long it will take for graffitti to appear). heres hoping for tickets tomorrow :banana:

Plans to transform a car park into a £20m hotel complex have been blasted because just 73 parking spaces have been proposed.

I wish people would make their bloody minds up!! Developments get criticised for having too much parking or too little parking! MAKE YOUR MINDS UP!!!

As for the design of the building, sorry but yuk. Looks like some terrible 60's Soviet block.

Luxury flats plan for city centre

By David Coates
Shops and luxury apartments could be built in one of the most run-down parts of Preston.

Eastern Estates says its bid to develop Church Row – which runs from Church Street to the southern end of the bus station – will attract more people to city centre living.

They hope the development will also be the first phase of regeneration for the area earmarked for the £500m Tithebarn redevelopment.

Their plans include a parade of six shops and 54 apartments.

Planners at Preston Council are now drawing up reports on the application and the planning committee is expected to consider the proposal in the next couple of months.

Colin Hayes, of architects Evo Concepts, said: "We believe that this development would be a real asset for Preston city centre and the mix of housing and retail is in line with the council's own policies."

If approved, an existing building on the site would be demolished and a new development erected in its place.

The one and two-bedroom apartments would be located above the shops and it is hoped the location would attract big-name retailers.

Last Updated: 09 May 2007
There is a small render in tonights LEP. Nothing too remarkable.

am sure it wasnt always a car park!
Interestingly, about 1970 the now long demolished Charnely St / Corporation Street frontage was a Rolls Royce / Bentley show room!

Interestingly, about 1970 the now long demolished Charnely St / Corporation Street frontage was a Rolls Royce / Bentley show room!

Very much befitting of the city I believe! ;)

I did think it was a shame when we lost the Rolls garage on the docks, always was a nice thing to say we had.

A new Bentley showroom is opening in Bamber Bridge next year.

A new Bentley showroom is opening in Bamber Bridge next year.


Oh thats good news i'll take my checkbook along :D

Interestingly, about 1970 the now long demolished Charnely St / Corporation Street frontage was a Rolls Royce / Bentley show room!

anyone have any pics of it?

Drove down Marsh Lane today. Construction on the hotel is really motoring now, with steel framework being erected. Also, proper construction has begun on the former 'Good Stabling' pub site which has been dormant for some time.
In addition, Moor Lane is coming along too. The new student accomodation site with the 10-storey block is really motoring, with one building beginning to take shape. Topps Tiles on North Road is also being demolished to make way for something. Anybody know what?

The hotel is coming along quite quickly, not a clue what hotel it is for. Probably a travelodge or something along those lines. As for the North Road site, I am sure it is for the Broomfield Mill scheme. It has now been amended for 6 retail units (as opposed to the original plans for 7 bulky goods units). While i DESPISE these retail sheds (i.e. Deepdale Retail Park) along with the Canterbury Hall project this will improve the area.

Marina concerns to be taken 'very seriously'

http://editorial.jpress.co.uk/web/Upload/PRES//TH1_165200726aaaaaail%20of%20Cottam%20Hall.jpg

The firm bidding to build an £80m waterside community in Preston has pledged to take public concerns 'very seriously'.

A planning application for the 28-acre development at the former Cottam Hall brickworks site, off Cottam Avenue, is expected before the end of this month.

Following a public exhibition of the plans, councillors in Ingol and Cottam gave the proposal a cautious thumbs up – but did raise concerns over potential traffic problems and parking congestion.

Developers Cottam Hall Properties today (Wednesday) revealed comments they received following the public exhibition indicated strong support for the scheme.

But the public did echo the concerns of their councillors over traffic and site access, issues the company hope their planning application will address.

Ian Rankin, chairman of Cottam Hall Properties, said: "The scheme has caused some excitement in the area, but at the same time it has also caused some concern among residents regarding traffic disruption and access. We have taken all of these comments very seriously."

It is hoped that the new community, which would feature space for office units and include a new supermarket, would create around 700 new jobs.
There will also be new homes, a 20-mooring marina flanked on one side by shops, bars, restaurants and a five-acre nature reserve.
Last Updated: 16 May 2007
More negativity from the LEP :| This wont have any problem getting through. As far as traffic is concerned, its not much of a problem. The area is all bypasses and most of the time it isnt busy, so I dont know why residents are concerned. Also, Tesco being on bored helps it to get through the system.
Lovely render on the front page.

A hotel and office development which could bring almost 1,500 jobs to Preston might be approved next week.

Planners will meet on Monday to debate plans for a four star, 130-bedroomed hotel and a six-storey office block on the corner of Ringway and Corporation Street.

Officers suggest the £30m plans for a "tall, bulky development" should be approved, subject to a section 106 (s106) agreement – a financial deal between the council and the developers.

The building would tower up to 22 metres and could house up to 1,460 workers.

As the Evening Post revealed 18 months ago, Rhodi Group Plc wants permission for a large development on land bounded by Ringway, Seed Street, Heatley Street and Corporation Street.

The development would be on the edge of a site earmarked as a Central Business District (CBD) on Friargate. Roger Parker of chartered surveyors Parker and Co said talks were ongoing with an "international company" about running the hotel.

He said: "We're confident these applications are going to be approved after a long period of consultation with council officers and we hope it will be the first stage in the proposed CBD."

Two separate but similar applications have been submitted, one suggesting building on Hill Street car park.

That application is for 21,774 square metres of office space with a hotel and 248 parking spaces.

Planners suggest approval subject to 13 conditions. The applicants have offered up to £75,000 for a s106 which is likely to be spent on developing park and ride facilities and cycle links.

The second application is for a hotel, offices and 73 parking spaces.
Either would lead to the demolition of existing businesses on the site, including Staples and Maplins.

:nuts: I agree Preston needs more hotels but two directly opposite each other? I would much rather see the Fox St plan go ahead so the Staples/Aldi/Corporation St/Marsh Ln area can be totally transformed with its own Tithebarn Project in years to come. Sticking this building up would be a big mistake.

"The building would tower up to 22 metres"

22 metres is hardily towering is it, i agree though, this areas would benefit from a big tithebarn style thing. showing this in the middle would stop anything like that. though i always thought something of a decent hight would look good ontop of staples

4* eh! we're slowly heading up in the world if we are to believe that article. I assume our other main offers in the centre (Holiday Inn etc) are more of the 3* bracket along with the travel lodges etc that may be lower still - 2*?

Well... as we enter the final hours of our moment in the spotlight, all I can say is absolutely fantastic! After the various festivals that can only be called failures that we have recieved in the past few years, this was so fantastic. Even better, the weather was great all weekend, which means people dont have to think Preston is constantly rainy anymore! This is going to do so much for our reputation. Absolutely brilliant!

Yes I think it's safe to say this weekend was a huge success! Sadly I was working (plus I didn't win tickets!) but three of my sisters got to go (one got on TV!) and had a fantastic time. There's certainly the demand in the local area so I think an arena is an essential part of Riverworks! And bring back our Heineken festivals, pronto!

After the various festivals that can only be called failures that we have recieved in the past few years
Don't forget much of this was set up and run by the BBC. If Preston City Council had been in charge, you'd be lucky if there'd even been a stage!

^^ Very true!

Plans for Preston to have its own tram network should be back on the agenda, according to an influential city leader.

Malcolm McVicar, chairman of the Preston Vision Board, believes a network linking outlying areas such as Penwortham, Leyland and Chorley to the city centre is vital for the area.

His comments come as the Government prepares to unveil its road pricing scheme on Tuesday. It could see motorists paying up to £1.30 an hour in some areas.

The draft Local Transport Bill allow several pilots to be set up across the country, with Birmingham and Manchester the current front-runners to trial "pay-as-you" drive schemes.

Dr McVicar believes a system needs to be in place in the next "15 to 20 years" as Preston looks to make its mark on the regional stage.

Other supporters of the idea believe that the network of abandoned railway lines, which run from Red Scar to the north of the city, down to the docklands in the south, need to be utilised as a "rapid transport system".

However, a lack of support from central government could be a stumbling block, with funding proving difficult to come by.

Dr McVicar, who is also the vice chancellor of the University of Central Lancashire, said: "No city can manage the kind of growth we are anticipating for Preston without having an integrated transport system and we have got to think about ways of doing that now.

"If we are looking to bring more people to the city through projects like Tithebarn issues like parking, bus services and train services have to be a priority - and a tram system is something we need to be looking at.

"Manchester's system works extremely well and I feel there is a very good case to link Preston with South Ribble and Chorley through a tram network.

"That is obviously a long time in the future, probably 15 or 20 years, but if Preston develops in the way we want it to, we have to start looking at these things realistically."

However, spokesman Aiden Turner-Bishop, of pressure group Transport 2000, warned that the idea would only become a reality if there was "political will and money" in place to push plans forward.

He said: "The problem is that these plans are very costly in comparison to improving bus networks in towns and cities which puts people off, whereas on the continent there are places with far smaller populations than Preston which have excellent tram systems."

Coun Michael Lavalette, who represents the town centre on Preston Council, believes that the Vision Board could be the driving force. In 2004, he tabled a motion called on the council to look into sources of government and European funding for the idea which saw it placed on a 'wish list' presented to transport bosses at Lancashire County Council.

:dunno: I'm not sure how being vice chancellor of UCLan makes you a transport expert but it's still good to know this hasn't been completely disregarded and could still come about.

A new hotel, offices and car parking could be built on one of the main gateways to Preston city centre.

Preston Council's planning committee has given the go-ahead for a new building on Corporation Street and Ring Way.

Developers Rhodi plc have applied to bulldoze the existing retail units and replace them with a nine-storey hotel with 130 bedrooms with several floors of office space.

The plans could include Hill Street car park, which would be transformed into a new five-storey office block.

A 68-space public car park would be provided on the ground floor of the new building, with additional spaces in the basement for office workers and hotel guests.

Planning officer Dave Linley told the meeting at Preston Town Hall that the present use of the site is "no credit to the city centre." He added: "At present it has a very poor appearance with low, bland retail warehouses.

"Its development with a quality gateway building would enhance the cityscape."

Councillors agreed that the proposals would improve the appearance of the junction, on the busy A59, but they did express some concerns about the increase in traffic along Heatley Street to the bigger car park, and hotel access.

But Mr Linley confirmed that Lancashire County Council were proposing to make improvements to Seed Street.

Committee vice-chairman Coun Bill Tyson also urged planners to consider creating a new taxi rank outside the hotel.

The council will decide at a later date whether Hill Street car park will be sold off to allow development to go ahead.

NOOOOO! :ohno: Great project, wrong location. I really hope this doesn't go ahead.

NOOOOO! :ohno: Great project, wrong location. I really hope this doesn't go ahead.

I'm not disagreeing or owt, but could you explain why it's a bad location, please?

Malcolm McVicar, chairman of the Preston Vision Board, believes a network linking outlying areas such as Penwortham, Leyland and Chorley to the city centre is vital for the area.

:dunno: I'm not sure how being vice chancellor of UCLan makes you a transport expert but it's still good to know this hasn't been completely disregarded and could still come about.

One expects a chair of a group such as the Vision Board to "show some vision" and have sought guidance from informed sources rather than just drawing on his own fields of expertise.

I'm not disagreeing or owt, but could you explain why it's a bad location, please?

Hill Street Car Park, Aldi/Blockbuster, Corporation St etc lies in the area proposed for the Central Business District (early figures suggest approx £300million and seeing as Tithebarn started off at 240 million, this project could get just as big as Tithebarn). This picture shows the area the CBD could utilise today (pink areas those to be developed):
http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/1215/cbdhillst2007wd5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
I propose that the Ringway extension be resited (green). This means going through Hill St car park through under the train tracks to join Bow Lane (that side of the tracks could also be redeveloped). This would obviously be a problem if they've just put up a £30 million building a few years before. Here's the potential if that was to happen - you could even site a bus station in that large chunk on the top right:
http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/2278/mg8161vm4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Obviously the entire Ring Road would be resited ideally but I can't see Preston ever being given funding for that. I doubt PCC will take this into account (despite an e-mail from me!) but it's just a shame the people of Preston will be denied such fantastic opportunities.

But maybe this project, and the one accross the road, is just what is needed to kick-start the development of this area. I agree something should be done about the ringway but it doesn't look like anything will happen so we may just have to put up with it and build new buildings to mask it :) Plus if this does kick-start things the council may feel pressured into re-siting the ringway to free up some valuable building plots, developers may push them to do just that.

Oh, and as for the trams, great idea! We have some fantastic old railway lines that are ripe for re-use. The one that runs by Mr MacVicars university would be a great start running through deepdale to the motorway and longridge. I'm a big fan of MacVicar, the uni wouldn't be half of what it is without his leadership, definately a visionary character.

if they had put the ringway like that origionally then wouldnt that have saved the back of the corn exchange?

if they had put the ringway like that origionally then wouldnt that have saved the back of the corn exchange?

It sure would! And Lune Street's junction with Friargate AND the small street that ran along the opposite side of the Corn Exhange, Wharf St!
http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/56/lunestyj0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Lune St, looking towards Friargate
http://img487.imageshack.us/img487/5610/lunestfriargateob4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/899/publichalliw5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
The Corn Exchange was a focal point for the people of Preston, it still should be, not just clinging to the side of a dual carriageway.

so this is the scheme on corporation road itself? On the Retail unit site (Maplins, Office stuff buildings??) that was the brick and green window development right?

will there be a demand for all these hotels? with this, one across the road and isnt there one under construction in the town centre? bit worrying perhaps, but its good to see that these key areas are getting some development and hope for the city to expand outwards, itd be great to see the city hall brought more into the city centre, its a great grand building but it seems so isolated.

Yes this is the scheme that showed that brick/glass building (though these latest plans are different and 18 months on there's likely to have been design changes).
As for the hotels, the one on Marsh Lane is well into construction, the one on Guildhall St has been approved plus there's these two directly opposite each other. My point for not allowing the above development is that it's hardly making good use of the available space to just keep putting up hotels. Also, there is to be a hotel in the Tithebarn area and one for the Queen Street regeneration area so we could do to lose one, and my choice is this one! I think the demand is there for at least the Marsh Lane, Guildhall St ones as visitors are having to use hotels such as Tickled Trout and those just out of the centre, these would make it easier and possibly more affordable!
By city hall, do you mean the building next to the Harris? I read ages ago of that building being used as Preston's 'classy' hotel or a restaurant but that seems to have gone out the window! Would be cool for a new modern city hall to be built though.

maybe im gettin it wrong, i was referring to the large building beyond the train station, the county offices is it? I agree, there is to high a concentration on hotels, we should be having more residential.. I sincerely hope the design for this has had major reconsideration if it is to be coined a 'gateway' development, it completely lacked any wow factor at all, far too bulky.

Thousands of people are being offered the chance to air their views on plans for a barrage across the River Ribble.

Around 7,000 households across the city will soon receive details of the controversial element of the £800m Riverworks scheme.

The barrage, which would maintain water levels to allow water-based activities to take place on the river, has split opinions since it was first suggested.

Now, Labour members of Preston Council are to ask people what they think.

Leaflets will be sent out to homes in the Riversway, Fishwick, Frenchwood, Larches and the Town Centre wards at the beginning of next month.

It comes days after it emerged the council is to bid for £235,000 from the North West Development Agency to fund a feasibility study into the project.

Coun Jack Davenport, who represents Riversway and is leading the consultation, said: "We're going to be as balanced as we can be, giving people both sides and letting them make up their own minds, then at least we have got something to take back to council.

"It's too big a matter to walk into the council chamber and make a decision."

Jane Brunning, spokesman for the Save The Ribble campaign, welcomed the consultation but said it needed to go further.

She said: "I do think they need to make a concerted effort to work with other councils and have a much broader consultation. I don't think that's impossible to do.

"I don't think something like this should be constrained by politics."
Anyone who wants to make a comment on the barrage plans can e-mail: ribbleconsultation@tiscali.co.uk

i know its been said before but the damage that ringroad has done is just sickening. imagine how great it would be to still have the corn exchange going as an entertainment venue and those little shops surrounding it. whoever placed it in its current position should be shot also what do u think are the chances of the riverworks going ahead, 800 million is alot of money.

I can't remember Preston before the Ringway was built, when was work started and completed on it?

i know its been said before but the damage that ringroad has done is just sickening. imagine how great it would be to still have the corn exchange going as an entertainment venue and those little shops surrounding it. whoever placed it in its current position should be shot also what do u think are the chances of the riverworks going ahead, 800 million is alot of money.

The traffic 'engineers' of the mid 60's had it built to a line conceived in 1933, since which traffic growth and indeed, the size of the town had changed dramatically. Thus, it was built far too small and on the wrong line, as everybody knows it should have gone down Walker St and upper Marsh Lane. The prison to the Public Hall (Corn Exchange) was completed about 1971 - just in time for The Guild. Thus, at the age of 7, I performed on the same stage as The Beatles and Sir John Barbarolli, who described the Public Hall as having the finest acoustics in the North of England (I sang in the Preston Schools Festival). The best bit of the Public Hall was knocked down about 10 years later to 'make way' for the Ringway extension connecting with the A59 Penwortham by-pass. After it 'made way', Staples, Maplin, Hill St car park, and later Aldi/Blockbuster were built. Go figure. One look at the map shows how the traffic 'engineers' of LCC "compounded a pilion on an ossa of confusion".
The only good news is that The Victorian Society got the construction of the southern half of the ring road aborted in the early 70's. You can still see the intended line on Queen Street, which is twice as wide as needed when including the grass verges. From there it was going to rake through Avenham Lane, constitute a massive flyover at the back of Avenham Park blocking the Victorian mansions which form a backdrop to the Park behind Ribblesdale Place, then tear up Mount Street to link in with Corporation Street just east of the railway station.
Scarey. isn't it?

VERY scary! Thanks for the info, the ring road has always been shrouded in mystery as to how on earth people could allow it to be built.
As for Riverworks happening, I think its possible as its staggered over about 20 years and funding could come from various sources but if Tithebarn is anything to go by, I could be collecting my pension before it comes to pass!

What makes it even worse about the Ringway is that the section which had the Public Hall demolished has been rendered pointless by the fact that the Penwortham Bypass wasnt even finished. I'm still waiting for the day when they link the A59 to the roundabout near Booths at Millbrook Way. When I was at primary school, we were on local TV many times because our school would have to have been demolished under the origional route.
As for hotels in the city, it was found that there was a strong demand. I think that the current proposals will settle that demand, but if they go beyond that, it will be a bit too much, at least for the moment. Lets not forget that the largest hotel project, the 24-storey glass tower at Queens Retail Park is no longer on the cards.

Everybody make sure you send an email to that address supporting Riverworks. The more support from the silent majority, the better. No doubt Mr Riversider and his short sighted co-bloggers will be sending in their demands to cancel the whole thing and kill Preston's future.

the ringroad just proves that lcc are complete idiots. plus with the ringroad in its current position wouldnt it have been more sense for them to route it on hill st car park and aldi opposed to knocking down the back of the corn exchange. idiots. i just dont understand planners who demolish perfectly good buildings when a simpler and less destructive option if available. if they had put it down marsh lane they would have probably ended up demolishing the colonial buildings opposed to the stuff on the other side anyway! and as for the second ringway, thats just bloody scary, imagine the mess they would have made and the city centre trapped within 2 ringroads.
as for the riverworks i hope it goes ahead, you can see with the construction sites around the city that things are finally starting to happen and it would be nice to plan a big project for the future.

http://img79.imageshack.us/img79/7861/img048be5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Somewhat of a design improvement but that doesn't make up for the bad location or the luncacy of placing two hotels directly opposite one another.

The Public Hall 1985
http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/4440/publichallpy6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
A nice little find on Flickr! Images c/o stoneroberts more found here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stoneroberts

omg its beautiful. i like the corn exchange as it is now, oddly one of my fave preston buildings , but have never seen a picture of how it was to this extent showing front and side. how on earth this was allowed to be demolished i dont know! i seem to remember it became a glorified roundabout from a map i saw in the harris. that was of course before the ringroad went through it. surely they could have sent the ringroad round it (considering you can see a CAR PARK on the opposite side of wharf street). feeling rather annoyed now, would love to see it come back from the dead at some point. thanks for the picture.

This may be nothing, but Maplin have occupied a unit at the Capitol Centre. Could this mean they are vacating their premises on Corporation Street in preparation for that gateway development? :?

Anyone know anything about a current planning application for flats on the site of Newman College gym on Mount St / Garden St?

^Vaguely. It has been mentioned on this thread a couple of times. I remember when the plans were first submitted a couple of years ago in the LEP, along with a render which was posted in the old Preston thread (deleted by hacker). 6-storeys IIRC.

I reckon my dad has loads of images of the old Public Hall, I'll try and find and get them scanned if my reckoning is correct.

Just lettin all of ya know.. I'm goin to be in the LEP on Monday with my 'Organic Quarter' uni project.. just had my snapshots taken now, lol.. so dare say my identity will be revealed! Uni architectural exhibition is starting tonight at the SU.. think its running for a week, not sure. It's for the year 3 students but me and a few other year 2s are getting some space for our design work.

Taking the design to London next week, its been shortlisted for the Future Vision sustainable communities.. so I've got a busy week on, be glad see the back of this design after I'm done, although I'm being encouraged to take it to the council, lol!...

Will keep you in the know!

Just lettin all of ya know.. I'm goin to be in the LEP on Monday with my 'Organic Quarter' uni project.. just had my snapshots taken now, lol.. so dare say my identity will be revealed! Uni architectural exhibition is starting tonight at the SU.. think its running for a week, not sure. It's for the year 3 students but me and a few other year 2s are getting some space for our design work.

Taking the design to London next week, its been shortlisted for the Future Vision sustainable communities.. so I've got a busy week on, be glad see the back of this design after I'm done, although I'm being encouraged to take it to the council, lol!...

Will keep you in the know!

Nice one ferge! good for you off down to the big smoke ;)

This is why the university is such a brilliant asset for the city, all this talent can be used to solve the problems in the city and to embed a new generation of expertise in the city. You'll have to post what you can up on here so we can have a look.

==

Story in the LEP today about an idea to have a monthly music festival in the covered market featuring local bands and so forth. It would be done along side local businesses who would be encouraged to host their own fringe events. Naturally an attempt to build on the Big Weekend.

Your secret is out "ferge." :lol:

http://www.lep.co.uk/news?articleid=2925415

Student's stunner wins award

A design for a landmark building at the heart of Preston has won a student from the University of Central Lancashire a national award.

The proposal, for a new glass and steel residential tower next to the bus station, earned the praise of experts.

It is the brainchild of student Stephen Ferguson, and he thinks it is just what the city needs.

Stephen, 21, said: "Tithebarn is such a big development and quite a controversial one as well. I wanted to keep the locals happy and boost the city as well."

The tower would be on the Prince's Site Regeneration area. It boasts a modern arcade shopping centre with gym and leisure facilities dedicated to promoting a healthier lifestyle, and a ten-storey residential block with one and two bed flats with views over the city.

Stephen, a second year student studying architectural technology, said: "I thought, with GM foods and people wanting healthier lifestyles, if Preston had something dedicated to that it would be very good for the city and for tourism."

The plans won one of the five categories of the Future Vision 07 awards, organised by the Academy for Sustainable Communities.

It is shortlisted for the overall Future Vision 07 award.

Maria Murray-Carmichael, principal lecturer and course leader in Architectural Technology within the Department of Built Environment, said: "Stephen has produced a fantastic vision of how Preston could be developed in the future.

"His work forms part of this year's final show, where we are exhibiting many other design projects some of which are already being turned from concept into reality."


Looks good to me!

Like hell it is, I'm the new Page 3 of LEP! (my bro in law told me my man jugs were gettin too big!) I'll try and scan the article in tonight unless someone beats me to it, not sure I'll fit it on the scanner! I'm in shock to have almost a full page to my work and it looks a beaut in the paper (I'm lookin quite smart meself!) haha

cheers for 'outin' my work! :P

Well done, ferge! Great article and good luck for the London trip!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v224/ferge1985/articles.jpg?t=1180978125

Nice one! All you need now is a wealthy mystery backer!

Everybody make sure you send an email to that address supporting Riverworks. The more support from the silent majority, the better. No doubt Mr Riversider and his short sighted co-bloggers will be sending in their demands to cancel the whole thing and kill Preston's future.

I’m sorry but I thought this consultation has been organised for residents of certain areas of Preston – namely Riversway, Fishwick, Frenchwood, Larches, and the Town Centre…? It is true that we are also campaigning for a much wider range of Ribbleside communities to be consulted, but that is no reason for Accura to be urging like-minded pro-barragers from who knows where to hijack a democratic consultation. We are NOT urging all anti-barrage residents to respond with their views as we want to see a democratic consultation of local residents take place. Riversider, myself, and other Ribbleside residents are hoping those residents who ARE being consulted respond with their views, then we can be sure that the views of local people are being heard.

How does Accura know the pro-barragers are the “silent majority”? Have they already undertaken a consultation of local residents? No, didn’t think so. Perhaps the short-sighted architects and developers should start putting other people’s interests before their own profit-orientated vision, and start thinking outside the outmoded box of concrete = progress. If Preston’s future depends on such damaging projects as the proposed Ribble barrage, then I feel very sorry for Preston. This is the same short-sighted thinking that led to that awful Ringway development which you are quite rightly so critical of. There are many much more progressive ideas being proposed for the Ribble which will be excellent economically and environmentally for ALL local communities, not just Preston. The new Ribble Coast & Wetlands Regional Park will generate £115 million of new revenue every year from new tourists, and create over 4,500 new jobs – and relies on the natural tidal behaviour of the river to remain unspoilt. There are far more ways of thinking about economic progress than the urbanisation of our green spaces and damming the most important estuary River in Britain.

I don't really see how this is an issue which only affects the "ribbleside" communties. Tithebarn, for example, does not just affect the city centre. The health and wellbeing of the wider city and even the region are affected by such large regeneration schemes as Riverworks or, more narrowly, the barrage. If you were to ask the wider group then I suspect a "silent majority" would be in support. I don't really see how this small consultation is of any use, people only respond if they have strong feelings anyway and many are, frankly, poorly informed about what it all would mean.

What you actually need is a proper and thorough independant cost benefit analysis to capture as much opinion and interest as possible not just the opinions of special interest groups which always occur as vocal entities on the fringes of any debate.

Rather than posting an attack on Accura it would have been far more helpful to you, your campaign and the forum to have set out more clearly then the actual reasons why you feel the proposal is a bad idea. Vent proper concerns and you give us something to discuss.

==

From my point of view surely the vast bulk of the Riverworks masterplan is to be welcomed, the only real point of contention being the barrage. I think the barrage is a great idea and would make the river a much more useable asset.

I am at uni in Durham where the river level is controlled by a series of wiers. This has created a really enjoyable riparian environment for all to enjoy. In particular it has allowed the university and local clubs to develop a strong presence in rowing. Rowers add life to the river and bring lots of events and money to the city while also adding to the offer of the university and sports available to local people. It would be great for UCLAN and local schools if Preston could foster the creation of a similar rowing fraternity with perhaps our fantasitc parks the centre of their operations. Grandstands along the river for special regattas along the river at Avenham park for example.

If built in the right place the barrage could also make better use of the docks and milennium ribble link which I feel are underused at present. The opportunity to create a valuable road link must not be ignored either.

As for the environmental impact this is obviously a viable concern that must be investigated. However, claims that it is damaging must be substantiated with evidence and not just through scaremongering. I would not mind hearing valid concerns but I fear many of the arguments are based on little more than personal preferences and environmental ideologies.

Better still it would be great if the environmentalists could actually engage constructively in the process so that the barrage might even be made to contribute positively to the environment or at least its impact be minimised. What too of the arguments that the barrage could be used for power generation, this can surely not be overlooked in the age of renewable energy. My biggest concern is that special interest groups only ever serve to polarise valuable debate, and by not being constructuve in listening to the arguments of the other side we all end up with a poorer result. In a quest for purity of outcome I feel optimal solutions become impossible as each side becomes entrenched in its argument and loses all ability to be constructive and to compromise. This is what I fear will happen hear.

I would say a fair position (and probably my own) would be to accept that the barrage would offer several benefits and opportunities to local people but that there may be some degree of environmental cost that cannot be ignored. I would like to see people adopt the position that they will not reject outright the basic concept, infact they even support it, provided that the environmental impact is not too great and that they will work with those in favour on issues such as design, location, management and compensatory investments to minimise the environmental damage caused perhaps even making it beneficial for the broader ribble environment.

edit: misquoted save the ribble, so apologies for that!

I would love to hear posts from anyone who thinks the barrage is not a serious threat to the ribble esturary from an environmental point of view.

We totally agree that some aspects of Riverworks are to be welcomed – particularly re-instating the canal link and making much better use of the Docks – the biggest Dock basin in Europe as I understand it but completely wasted at the moment. It’s not much more than a glorified backdrop to Morrisons at the moment. If the Environment Agency can finally get rid of the blue-green algae problem in the dock basin, it could be a fantastic resource for Preston.

There is absolutley nothing to stop us making more of the river without building a barrage. Rowing, canoeing etc are all perfectly possible – many people already do this! - and the natural run of the river gives loads of scope for easy to difficult abilities, and there are several stretches which are pretty level for ordinary rowing. People have rowed on the Ribble for centuries, but times change and less people seem to want to do this now but there’s no reason why boating clubs couldn’t be set up, with or without a barrage. I’ve been on the river myself and it’s a fantastic way to experience it.

I can assure you that if the barrage was a good idea, we’d support it! We have much better things we could be doing with our time than opposing the barrage. We also completely agree that we should have a broad consultation – as I said earlier: this is what we’ve been asking for, and the only consultation we are getting so far is being organised independently by certain councillors, who want to know what THEIR electorate think about it, not everyone from the North West. And of course a proper debate should be set up, with full information – this is what we are campaigning for, with full information about the negatives as well as the positives. All we get from the proposers of the barrage is a clearly one-sided view which refuses to look at the bigger picture or at alternative ways of using the river without barraging it.

We are certainly not scaremongering. We have done thorough and independent research and the results all show that the damage would be too great, both locally and nationally (as a look at the various FULLY SOURCED and referenced articles concerning the environmental and economic costs we have published on our website http://save-the-ribble.blogspot.com will show you), and these facts are corroborated by independent environmental organisations, also discussed on our website.

What we need is a full environmental impact assessment of the barrage proposal asap so we can ALL be fully informed. We live here and do not want to see Preston and South Ribble dragged into a vast economic drain (the Cardiff barrage costs over £20 million every year in mitigation measures to try to counteract the environmental impacts alone – and that's on top of the £400 million it cost to build). So much more could be made of the river WITHOUT damaging it.

A new city centre police station is to be built as part of Preston's £450m Tithebarn regeneration project, the Evening Post can reveal.

And Preston's top officer has revealed plans for a second smaller city centre station to go with the new new £7m police station development on Lancaster Road North.

Police are in talks with Preston Council and are examining several sites for the building.

Chief Supt Mike Barton said it was vital police retained a presence in the city centre and said there were "exciting opportunities" for the new station to be "right in the heart" of Preston as the Tithebarn project moves closer.

The new two-storey Lancaster Road North building in the former United Utilities works will be used from the end of the month.

Staff will be moved gradually across from the Lawson Street site to the new facility, which has taken six years to complete.

Meanwhile, it is expected city centre officers will continue to use Lawson Street for at least another two years until the second smaller city centre police station is up and running.

Chief Supt Barton said: "Lawson Street will eventually be disposed of. It is important that we retain a city centre presence. We have identified a few potential sites.

"With the uncertainties over the Tithebarn project we have seen some exciting opportunities there for us to be right in the heart of it."

I also made a few little discoveries about Lawson Street's apartments (the one's next to the police station).
http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/1999/5329520969bd12f2326bvq7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
It now has a name "The Room" and I found a new render on CPUK's website. It is smaller than original plans showed at about 4-6 storeys but I think the design's improved though still nothing amazing:
http://www.constructionpartnership.co.uk/sections/projects/multistorey/lawson.html
Also, the Walker Street apartment/office building is taking shape and Moor Lane continues to press on and the Marsh Lane hotel is progressing nicely with a large crane on site today.
(Image: eat_at_joes @ Flickr)

first time i have ever seen a crane of its type in preston, normally its just one of those with the extendable arm, of which we now have quite a few.

The new two-storey Lancaster Road North building in the former United Utilities works will be used from the end of the month.

Didn't even know they were doing this!!

Exactly where is this site?

I heard about this sometime ago, but when they said Lancaster Road North, I assumed they meant somewhere near where the Guild Hall is! I dont have a clue where this one is!

On a small point, Countryside Properties have put up some more signage for the Linen Buildings, this time on Church Street. Hopefully, they will begin construction before the end of the summer.

lancaster road north is on the other side of the ringroad to lancaster road, with the county court inbetween the roads. probably all lancaster road pre ringroad

Lancashire County Council has £5m ready to plough into building Preston's new bus station – and has had it for three years.

County Coun Tony Martin, cabinet member for sustainable development at Council Hall, insisted that the authority is only waiting for a green light from Preston Council and Grosvenor, the developers behind the multi-million pound regeneration project, to get started.

His comments came after the leader of Preston Council told the Evening Post that County Hall chiefs were to blame for delaying the relocation of the bus station.

Now, Coun Ken Hudson has said the authority is ready to draw up a planning application for the plans – if the county council is ready to hand over its cash.

Earlier this week the Duke of Westminster, owner of Grosvenor, told the Evening Post that "problems with planning" relating to the bus station had led to the completion date for the Tithebarn project being put back to 2013.

Under plans for the £450m project the existing bus station will be demolished, and the two councils had been at loggerheads over a new station until 18 months ago, when a site at the junction of Manchester Road and Church Street was pinpointed as the preferred location.

County Coun Martin said: "We have shown great commitment already and done everything we can to get our part of the project in order, but, the truth is, we did not actually have to contribute anything at all.

"Yet we wanted to make sure Preston got the best possible public transport deal, so cash has been found by us.

"There may have been delays over planning and other matters – but none of these relate to the County Council. Preston is the planning authority for the city and, between them and Grosvenor, they have the responsibility for sorting out the Tithebarn project."

woulnt that empty site off corporation street and the ringway near the train station have been better. also what are they demolishing to build the bus station? i would have thought the bike shop but as theres that pub application i dont know?

They need to stop p*ssing about and just make a small bus station/terminal in the Tithebarn area for now. Rip up the ring road and build the bus station off Corporation Street you LCC b*stards!

Nobody cares anymore! just get started. Its hardly going to be anything spectacular so we can always move it again in a few years time. I think its a big mistake not to have it at the train station with busses stopping off at Tithebarn en-route.

I think its a big mistake not to have it at the train station with busses stopping off at Tithebarn en-route.

I think anyone with even a hint of a brain cell thinks this!! Which I assume explains why the council don't feel the same.

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/5300/lawsonstconsten8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/9579/moorln2cz8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/1049/moorln3vd2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Images: eat_at_joes (Flickr)

its great to see construction getting underway. there really moving on with the student accom on moor lane am sure the bit on the right in the second picture went up in a day

I was up St Georges car park today. It was wierd to see two of those larger cranes on the skyline.
I'm so relieved to finally see things picking up.

I'm gutted they changed the design of the apartment development near to the old police HQ, at 10 storeys that could of been a prominant building, even if not aesthetically brilliant, the modified design is poor, a lost opportunity!!

Also, I'll try and get some pictures of the construction site right outside of my room at brunel court. Does anyone know how high this project is, I'm imagining 5 storeys (as is the rest of brunel) but I'm not even sure its BPS (who own Brunel) are the ones having this build, so it may be taller??

^^ The LEP reported that the police station is likely to be sold in a few years as office land so hopefully some classy, TALL buildings will go there!

The plan to relocate Preston's bus station has been hit by more delays.

The county's transport boss, County Coun Tony Martin, has said he would be happy to see it remain where it is.

The cabinet member for sustainable development at the county council disagrees with plans by developer Grosvenor – the firm behind the city's £500m Tithebarn regeneration project – and Preston Council who want a smaller station.

He warned that unless full agreement could be reached for plans for the new site, at the junction of Manchester Road and Church Street, the station would stay where it is – throwing the Tithebarn plans into disarray.

The County Hall boss also revealed that Grosvenor had asked the county council to guarantee it a huge profit as part of the scheme, by signing up to underwrite the running costs of a new bus station to ensure it made 13% profit return on its multi-million pound investment.

He said the authority would "not go within a million miles" of that proposal, which could have led to council taxpayers across Lancashire having to make up any shortfall in the operating costs, although this demand has since been resolved.

Preston Council chief executive Jim Carr today insisted talks are under way between both authorities and Grosvenor to get the bus station plans moving.

County Coun Martin is unhappy that Grosvenor and the city council are looking to reduce the number of bays at the new station to 27 as they believe the 33 bays at the current site is too many.

On the funding, he said the extra finance demanded by Grosvenor had now been found from a £10m grant by the North West Development Agency to go alongside the county council's £5m funding.

This month, Grosvenor's owner The Duke of Westminster told the Evening Post that delays in planning stemming from wranglings over the relocation of the bus station had led to the completion date of the £450m Tithebarn project being shifted back to 2013.

The long-running dispute over the location of the new bus station was only resolved when a site at the junction of Manchester Road and Church Street was pinpointed.

Mr Carr said the bus station plans were now being worked on by all three interested parties and that discussions were "making progress" at moving the process forward.

Marketing director Ayo Daramola-Martin, of Grosvenor, said: "The position on the bus station is still under discussion and one of the conditions we are working hard to resolve."

:blahblah: I'm glad I'm moving to Chorley now coz I'll be closer to Manchester - a city where things actually happen!

Stupid LCC. They are only good at screwing things up.

surely there is some one above lcc that pcc and grosvenor can go to get this situation resolved. the bus station at its current size is obviously to big. makes me wonder what lcc's motivation actually is and if they actually give a damn about the future development of preston. they are taking the p*** as to where it gets located. its a bus station, hardly the most complicated of planning descisions now is it! the whole project is already very late in happening and lcc screwing around will make the delay even longer. will be glad when they finally start demolishing stuff. :bleep:

The county's transport boss, County Coun Tony Martin, has said he would be happy to see it remain where it is.

He warned that unless full agreement could be reached for plans for the new site, at the junction of Manchester Road and Church Street, the station would stay where it is – throwing the Tithebarn plans into disarray.

So whose interests has he got at heart then? Certainly not Preston's. What a total moron.

LCC are the only planning authority on the planet that does not support the concept of integrated transport nodes for rail and bus. :bash: They have actively sought to have the new bus location as faraway as possible from the railway station while still being inside the city centre.
Their stance has been totally unjustifiable from every standpoint.

It is ridiculous, it was LCC who wanted it moving from it's original location! The first masterplan from Terry Farrell showed a bus station more or less on it's current location linked to the new shopping area. Preston City Council and Grosvenor should complain to John Prescott about the way LCC are handling this. He has expressed his support of Tithebarn and the regeneration of Preston City Centre as a key factor in the recovery of the North West.

i just find it all hilarious that LCC thought that by 2012, they'd be the 3rd city of the NW... and they've done bugger all so far in actually tryin to reach this status.

just out of curiosity does anyone know what number city we are of the north west at current?

We probably are third but Lancaster is doing very well for itself so could (if not already) take that title!