PRESTON | Full Summary of Projects

[Preston_guy]

Preston has FAR more interest in it than elsewhere in Lancashire at the moment. With visitors to Preston and the population set to swell over the coming years, it would be a worthwhile investment for the company behind the project.

[Accura4Matalan]

Another advantage for this being built at the proposed Preston site is that 4 different motorways intersect in Preston which would kick ass when it comes to getting nationwide visitors.

[Preston_guy]

The Prestoncity web site has been updated with the November 2005 edition of their newsletter:
http://prestoncity.codeserver.co.uk/...etter%2004.pdf

A few interesting pieces. Says estimates indicate the population has risen to 130,500 even though the true figure is around 250,000 including South Ribble.

[Accura4Matalan]

Nice find. Lots of very positive news I didnt know they were still updating that site.
There is a thing in tonights LEP about some talk thats gonna be given at UCLan on 30th Nov about the future development of Preston. I might go if I can.

[liverpolitan]

Originally Posted by Prestonian

Lancs to get Eden project 2

Lancashire has been earmarked as a possible location for the northern home of the hugely successful Eden Project.
The architects behind the green tourism hot-spot are planning to turn a Lancashire rubbish dump into a £150m tropical rainforest.
Dubbed the Kew of the North, the forest would be able to heat itself with decomposing garden and kitchen waste.
Hopes were high today that it could become a tourist attraction to rival the Cornwall attraction which currently pulls in 1.25m visitors per year.
Plans include one of England's highest waterfalls, walkways through the treetops and, possibly, Europe's biggest compost heap, capable of using most of the green waste of a city the size of Manchester.
The people behind the project are keeping tight-lipped over the exact location, other than to say there are plans to regenerate a landfill site, close to the M6. Among the former and current landfill sites in the county are part of Fishwick Bottoms in Preston, Clifton Marsh, near Preston and Ulnes Walton in Leyland.
Michael Pawlyn, a director of architects Grimshaw, who worked on the Eden Project for seven years, said the project would have negligible running costs.
He said: "The scale would be pretty vast, 25% bigger than Eden.
"A lot of local authorities are in a flap over what to do with their waste. The idea is to turn the problem into an opportunity."
The architects are planning to build 50 metre high walls out of rubble which would contain bio-digester composting tubes.
Into these would be fed household and municipal waste such as leaves, soil, grass-cuttings, tree prunings and waste food.
Heat exchange tubes would then transfer low-grade heat emissions into a glass-roofed space to create the warm, saturated environment needed for rain forest life.
A byproduct of the process would be thousands of tons of high-quality compost.
Civil engineers working with Grimshaw estimate that it could earn about £12m a year by generating heat and electricity on site and from taking the green waste.
The site of the proposal has been withheld while the regeneration group which commissioned the designs decides whether it is feasible.
South Ribble MP David Borrow welcomed the plans. He said: "The centre in Cornwall has many visitors has proved immensely popular.
"But if it was in Lancashire it would be nearer major urban centres and people living in many major cities would not have to travel as far.
"We have plenty of derelic land in Lancashire and this would be ideal for creating jobs."
Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans added: "This would be superb for the county. The Eden Project has been superb in bringing millions of visitors to the South West and it would definitely do the same for Lancashire.
"It would be incredibly imaginative to use a landfill site rather than leave it derelict.
"This would be a boost in the number of visitors coming to Lancashire and increase their spending power in shops and local businesses."
Coun Veronica Afrin, cabinet member for environment and sustainability said: "We would be absolutely delighted to see the project come to Lancashire.
"The educational and job opportunities would be second to none and I would expect the total support to the scheme from Preston Council."
Both Lancashire County Council and Preston Council say they have yet to be approached by representatives of the Eden Project.

http://www.prestontoday.net/ViewArti...icleID=1261720

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hmmmm.... how cool would that be! tho it seems we have rivals

Yeah, I was just being a bit cheap and sarcastic. When I suggested an Eden-type Centre for Preston, the post was completely blanked as though it was insane. So insane it wasn't even worth saying "what a stupid idea". Days later there are public proposals for an Eden-stye Centre and it looks like it's of interest! As I say, i was being a bit cheap, pointing out that my proposal came before the public one I posted a link to. I don't care where it goes, I just thought something like that would be great near the centre of Preston and make a real difference to the city.

[Keeks]

Hi there, it's me again. For people that didn't see my first post, I am journalism student at UCLAN, making a website on Tithebarn Project. I need to conduct a few email interviews with someone- I already have a guy from a "Save the Bus Station" Campaign, I was wondering if any one here wouldn't mind putting in a word? All i need is someone to answer a few questions through email. If you want to email me directly, my address is KTAstley@UCLAN.ac.uk

[Accura4Matalan]

I'll do it for you if you want. E-mail me at 05061609@student.runshaw.ac.uk

[Accura4Matalan]

Article tonight in the LEP about the new 8-storey hotel on Guildhall Street. It seems to have got a very positive reception

[Preston_guy]

Yeah I'm quite positive about this getting permission from the Council, it is depserately needed. If I have time, I'll try get to Lancastria House to look at the plans.

[Preston_guy]

The application has gone in for the former Preston Farmers' site on New Hall Lane. A food retail unit (1579sq.m), unit for leisure use (2736 sq.m), 92 flats and 312 parking spaces, new vehicular access from New Hall Lane and landscaping.
And work is already well underway on the new hotel across from the site. It is due to open mid-March next year.

[Accura4Matalan]

Yeah, I noticed that when passing the other day. Was pretty dark though.
I'm gonna try and get into town this weekend to get a daylight look at that and other stuff, especially that demolition site on Lawson Street. I've got my fingers crossed that its the 8-storey apartment block that was approved early this year

[Accura4Matalan]

Couple of shots from yesterday...

Skyline from Penwortham Hill


Not clear I know (was taken from a bus), but this is Lowthian House with the LIGHTS ON! I was shocked and amazed :P Does this mean it has finally found an occupier? Or even better, are they doing it up?

[Northender]

I think that they are doing up the inside, there were some workmen in there last week. Not sure about the outside though.

[Accura4Matalan]

Fingers crossed. No good doing up the inside if the exterior is the ugliest in the city centre. Lowthian House is listed as a building that would be done up under the Tithebarn Masterplan.

[Preston_guy]

Oh my God lol it's alive! I remember reading it would be done up as part of Tithebarn, so it would make sense to start doing the 'smaller' things like that now. It's unlikely to ever find a tenant in its current state. Plenty of glass please

[Accura4Matalan]

Clearer pic

I zoomed in on my camera and they are definitely doing internal fitting of some kind, confirming Northender's sightings.

The new SCS store on the docks is nearly complete now


Couple more pics from tonight. I've got more to upload. Will post eventually.

[Preston_guy]

Great pics Accura. I know a while ago I said it would rather see Lowthian House demolished but it would be nice to see some life breathed back into it.
The docks look gorgeous at night. Only God knows how SCS got planning permission for that site! Only a few months ago the council were saying how wrong it is to be filling the docks area with shabby retail warehouses...

[Prestonophile]

Of course the Ring Way should be buried. It's not even that expensive, urban tunnels cost around 80 million per mile and the cost has been falling about 4% per year. The bit from Corporation St. to North Road is about half a mile and would therefore cost about 40 million pounds. That would pay partly in increased land and land value, not to speak of what it would do for the city centre and for connecting the Uni better to the centre. This is actually something UCLan should be pushing for.

[Accura4Matalan]

Maybe some day. The problem is that this could take roughly 3 years to accomplish. Imagine how bad the traffic would be in that time! I'm not sure where it would all be diverted to either.

Welcome to the boards btw

[Preston_guy]

Welcome to the thread Prestonophile. I've been ranting on about this Ringway business for a while now and it apparently wouldn't be too expensive when compared to Riverworks, for example. It really does cut the city centre off from the uni, the two halves feel unique, which is great but they don't feel like they're part of the same thing. And as you say, burying the ringway would lead to extra land for development and increased land value so it would pay for itself after a couple of years. A new ring road (actually going around the city centre and not through it) and improved roads would need to be put in place prior to all this happening but these are all things Preston should be thinking of already.