More student apartments in Preston set for green light

Moor Lane and Ashmore Street in Preston. Picture: Google.
Student accommodation has been proposed for the site bounded by Moor Lane at the east, Ashmoor Street at the north, Sizer Street at the west and
Victoria Street at the south. — Moor Lane and Ashmore Street in Preston. Picture: Google. Student accommodation has been proposed for the site bounded by Moor Lane at the east, Ashmoor Street at the north, Sizer Street at the west and Victoria Street at the south.

Proposals for two four-storey buildings off Sizer Street and Moor Lane, providing 218 studio apartments, are to be discussed by councillors next week.

Officers at Preston Council have recommended the plans for Innovation House for approval, and say they would “positively contribute” to the character and appearance of the area.

A report to the council’s planning committee said: “The proposed development would lead to the redevelopment of a vacant and brownfield site in a highly sustainable location and would provide quality purpose-built student accommodation that would be well related to the university campus.

“The scale and design of the development would be striking and imposing but has been sensitively designed to integrate into the urban street scene and would positively contribute to the character and appearance of the area.”

The plans are recommended for approval, with conditions.

The proposals, by applicant Ladson Preston Ltd, are for the demolition of all the existing buildings on the site and the replacement with two flat-roofed blocks of student accommodation, along with a single commercial unit on the ground floor of the northern block.

The two blocks would be arranged around a central private courtyard.

The northern block would be four storeys with a step down to three storeys where it would front Moor Lane, while the southern block would be five storeys high.

The 218 proposed apartments would be self-contained, according to the report to be discussed next Thursday.

The report said there was considered to be a “shortfall in provision of accommodation” for students, “particularly good quality studio apartments, that this proposal would help to meet”.

The main pedestrian and cycle access would be from Sizer Street, with further access from Victoria Street.

Secure cycle storage would be provided for up to 60 bikes in two storage blocks.