PRESTON | Full Summary of Projects

[Preston_guy]

Thanks for that Accura, sounds quite promising. I like it that they see residential and office buildings need to be integrated with the retail sectors, rather than sticking them on the edge of the city centre. I'm also pleased we should be getting some good-sized retail units and more complentary leisure attractions eg coffee shops, cafes, bars etc but most importantly a cinema! Just gotta wait for the damned masterplan now...

[Accura4Matalan]

Tis just a matter of days now

[Accura4Matalan]

Check this out! Ariel photo of Preston taken on flight simulator game! You can see my school!!!

[Accura4Matalan]

Interesting article

[Preston_guy]

cool screenshot lol that's pretty detailed! and that article is interesting. Has anyone any idea of retail chains interested in opening new stores in the Tithebarn area?

[Accura4Matalan]

Not yet, but we should be hearing about stuff like that for FG2 in the near future.

[Accura4Matalan]

Waste plant legal fight


STORM: Developers want to build stunning apartments like this on the riverfront.

LANCASHIRE County Council could face a legal challenge from developers furious at plans for a waste plant on Preston dock.
They are demanding compensation - saying the location of the plant will bring property prices crashing down in the area.
Councillors ignored public opinion and official opposition from Preston Council's planning committee to approve the controversial scheme on Wednesday.
But Preston Council leader John Collins is supporting the waste plant, saying it is a neccessary development.
In contrast, another Preston councillor is so outraged that he's asking colleagues to support him in blocking the county council from gaining access to the Wall End Road site, which has to be accesssed over city council-owned land. Others have labelled the county council's decision for the massive plant as a "mistake".
Last month, Preston Council announced an £800m regeneration plan for Preston Dock, known as Riverworks, which will include a £350m Central Park, reinstating a section of the Lancaster Canal, and maximising Dockland heritage.
And last year, shortly before the waste plan came to light, Preston Council gave planning permission for £25m plans for a stylish block of offices and apartments on the entrance to the River Ribble.
The project, which has been led by Preston chartered surveyors Parker and Co, will see an extra 75 apartments inside an eight-storey block - and will be the nearest development to the waste plant.
Today, Roger Parker, development consultant from Parker and Co, said the developers, Redburn Holding Corporation, were considering legal action to get compensation.
He said: "My client is committed to going ahead with this project but we're concerned about the approval of this scheme and the impact it will have on the values of adjacent properties, existing ones and those that are planned.
"My client wants to know whether, if it does have a detrimental affect on values, they will get any kind of compensation. It's not going to be as pleasurable an outlook from our development as we had hoped."
Meanwhile, Coun Normal Abram (Lib Dem), who is also a county councillor for part of the waste plant area, has tabled a notice of motion to fellow members of Preston Council.
He is asking for the authority to take "all appropriate measures, including specifically requesting the legal officer to advise if judicial review would be appropriate, to prevent any access being gained to this centre across any and all land owned by Preston City Council."
The leader of Preston Council, Coun John Collins, said the waste plant was crucial to avoid Preston's waste having to be transported out of the area, at a cost to taxpayers.
He said: "The county council have felt they were helping us by having a waste transfer station in Preston.
"If we were to attempt to try and fight this decision, the county council could ask us to use the recycling station in South Ribble."
The Tory chairman of the council's environment review board, Coun Anthony Gornall, was also in support.
He said: "It's not a tip or a dump. It's going to be a very important piece of kit for the city.
"Without it, we'd be taking our waste to Leyland which would have an impact on council tax bills if we don't have our own facilities."
Other members of the review board spoke out against the plans.
Coun George Wilkins (Con) said: "I think Lancashire County Council made a terrible mistake. Our planning committee was unanimously against this scheme. It's going to jeopardise investment in Riversway."
And Coun Ron Atkins (Lab), said: "We were more or less told take it or lump it. It does seem to me we were given very little opportunity to survey the whole of Lancashire.
"We were given one option and that is not good enough."
Coun Pauline Brown (LibDem), said: "I'm totally and utterly disgusted at Lancashire County Council riding rough-shod over the people of Preston again.
"There are other sites all over the place and they're putting it slap-bang in the middle of a residential area and in an area we're re-developing."
And Coun Alan Hackett, said: "It may be the right facility but it's not the right place."
A spokesman for Lancashire County Council said the waste plant would be run by a contractor on its behalf. He said: "We are still in the tendering process."
e-mail: emma.broom@lep.co.uk

Good to know this is meeting a pounding so early on. I'm pleased that the developers will still go ahead with this development despite the WTP.
I love the radical idea by the Preston councillor to block LCC from using city council land to access the site

[Preston_guy]

With a bit of luck it won't get the go-ahead, there's such huge opposition. I don't see why it can't be put nearer to the motorway on an industrial site, where it belongs. Sure it may be needed but just not there. It makes me SO mad it's untrue lol My complaint has been forwarded to the Development Control Section at the LCC. I will fight this myself if I have to!

[Accura4Matalan]

I guess I should send a letter of complaint really. I can see the site from my bedroom window on the other side of the Ribble, so it can be justified.

[Accura4Matalan]

Was down on the docks today and I've noticed that a large section of the Homebase car park has been closed and there is some sort of construction going on there. Hoardings up and everything lol. Its quite large, so it should be interesting to see what goes there.

[Accura4Matalan]

preston guy, remember a while back when you posted the Channel 4 link for us to nominate the bus station for demolition? Well Channel 4 are doing their filming for the bus station program this week and have asked me to go into town and talk to them about why I want it demolished for the cameras! Did you get the same phone call?

[Preston_guy]

Oh my god! That'll be so great! I didn't get any call lol they must not have liked the look of me! Have you any idea how many people voted for it? That should be interesting! Are you gonna do it? You'll have to prepare a speech!! lol

[Accura4Matalan]

Yeah, I think I'll do it. Might give me a geeky image, but hey, nothing new there
They never said how many votes it got, but if they're doing a program about it, it has gotta be one of the favourites on the X List!
It will be nice to vent my frustrations about this, not just in the local newspaper, but on national television!
If they dont call you, I'm pretty sure you will still be able to come along cos you voted in the poll.

[Preston_guy]

Anyone any news on Crystal House? I can't believe it's been left like this for so long. I was walking past the coffee shop there and overheard a visitor saying how stupid it looks, and I can't blame them!

[Preston_guy]

Not so keen on the new business school now! I was in lectures all day yesterday and noticed all the windows appear to be blacked out?! I think they'd look better clear (as they appear on the plans). But hey ho, never mind! Still looks great, just a shame such a great building is on the very edge of the campus and overlooking... a primary school lol

[Accura4Matalan]

Originally Posted by Preston_guy

Anyone any news on Crystal House? I can't believe it's been left like this for so long. I was walking past the coffee shop there and overheard a visitor saying how stupid it looks, and I can't blame them!

If nothing happens on the tower section of Crystal House by the end of the year, I'm going to attack the council in the LEP for doing a half hearted job.
However, it looks like work has properly started on the recladding of the Holiday Inn. Yes, the scaffolding has been up for ages, but now there are workmen on site and I've noticed that a large section of the existing cladding has been stripped. One to watch

[Accura4Matalan]

Okay guys, good news I have FINALLY got a response from Lancashire County Council about the new bus station on Manchester Road.

Dear All

I have spoken this morning with my Group Manager, Chris Anslow,
re the above and I can now confirm the following;-

The Final Planning Application will be submitted as part of the Grosvenor
Tithebarn redevelopment in April 2006.

A draft version is available now (As was requested by the Lancashire Evening
Post and duly provided under the FOI Act) but Chris has asked me to stress
that this is only a preliminary draft version and is almost certainly
subject to alteration.

Chris has said that if anymore information is required, he would be more
than happy to set up a meeting to discuss the project further on return
from his annual leave. (After 8th September)

Thank you.

Andy Ray
Excellent news. This means we could see the designs very soon in the LEP. If its not in by next week, I'll goto the planning office and view them (and try to sneak some photo's in). And if they set up a meeting, I will most definately be going! At last, progress!

[Accura4Matalan]

BTW, look at the new Burnley bus station compared to ours:






There they are, probably the worst town in Lancashire with that piece of genious, and here are we, the supposedly administrative capital of the county with a piece of crap!
Beaten by Burnley

[Preston_guy]

Thanks for that Accura, I'm so relieved this is making progress because it is literally the cause of Tithebarn's delay. I'm sure the design will be impressive, cos if it ain't there'll be murder! My only concern is that it's going to be pretty big and might look a bit dumb on Church Street... On the other hand, I guess with the Church Street Masterplan it may get away with it and should encourage development in the surrounding areas especially in Avenham. And there would of course be the glass tower not far away

[Preston_guy]

Well, i received a letter from LCC today... Grrr... It answers absolutely nothing. I was given a copy of the Report presented to the Development Control Committee (BUNCH OF WASTERS!) Ironically, it presents over 4 pages of negative effects of the plant, and even then they opted for it.

They admit the cons include:

FUTURE DEVELOPMENT BLIGHT OF THE LAND
Increased traffic
Pollution
ROAD ACCESS TO REDSCAR IS BETTER THAN RIVERSWAY-why not build it there?
The development is contrary to Preston City Council's Policy T20, whatever that is! Obvious health and safety issues for residents in the area with emissions, toxic fumes and dust
It will affect leisure development and is not in keeping with the area
IT WILL BECOME A STIGMA AND WILL RESULT IN LOST INCOME AS HOMES AND BUSINESSES ARE ABANDONED
The railway museum is close to the site WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH LCC?
It lies on one of the main roads into Preston and will be unattractive to visitors
IT WILL AFFECT PRESTON'S IMAGE AS A CITY
Will reduce attractiveness of the area to investors
Nature in the area will be affected.

Their justification for using this site is that there is a need for such a facility in Preston. Naturally, they didn't answer my question as to why it HAD to be on the docks. They simply enclosed this report allowing me to draw my own conclusions and I have... that LCC truly are a bunch of wasters! My dad actually works at Preston City Council as part of the recycling department so I'll see if he has any info. I will do everything I can to stop this going ahead. You don't see something like this on the banks of the dock in Liverpool! So why Preston?