Work begins to pave way for superstore at Preston brickworks site

Work has begun on a major new development at the site of a former brickworks in Preston.
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The preparatory work at the former brickworks site in Cottam, north Preston, paves the for a major new district centre.

BXB Cottam Properties is behind the works on the second phase of the regeneration of the site, which is the subject of a planning application for a district centre that will include an Aldi store, 89 new homes and 11,000 square metres of flexible retail and commercial accommodation. A planning decision by Preston City Council is due shortly.

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The first phase of development saw infrastructure put in place and more than 100 social housing units built

An aerial shot of the former brickworks site at Cottam, Preston, under construction. Prep work has begun on the site to pave the way for a new district centre, which could include an Aldi store, more than 80 new homes and retail and business spaceAn aerial shot of the former brickworks site at Cottam, Preston, under construction. Prep work has begun on the site to pave the way for a new district centre, which could include an Aldi store, more than 80 new homes and retail and business space
An aerial shot of the former brickworks site at Cottam, Preston, under construction. Prep work has begun on the site to pave the way for a new district centre, which could include an Aldi store, more than 80 new homes and retail and business space

BXB director Gary Goodman: “The district centre at Cottam is a key component of the growth strategy for north Preston. The site is allocated in the central Lancashire core strategy and the Preston local plan and is a priority site in the Preston City Deal.

“With the continuing levels of house building in the area and a lack of local retail and other services. Cottam desperately requires a district centre to service local residents’ needs. This was underlined through public consultation in which the proposals received strong community support.

“Preston City Council has been very supportive of our ambitions and so, regardless of the current economic problems, we are keen to bring forward this further investment to accelerate the delivery of the district centre.

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“The only outstanding piece of this jigsaw is to secure agreement from Lancashire County Council and Homes England over the utilisation of a small parcel of land. Negotiations are currently at an advanced stage and we expect resolution shortly.”

Should planning permission be granted for the new district centre, the applicant will be responsible for a £1m community levy payment to the council. Developers forecast it will generate 170 full-time jobs for the area, with a further 271 jobs during the construction phase. Economists predict that it will generate an economic output of £41.7m a year and increase council tax revenue by £150,000 per annum.

Mr Goodman said: “As life returns to normality all stakeholders need to be pulling in the same direction in creating local investment opportunities that will benefit existing communities. Creating jobs for local people will be vital to the future success of Cottam and we are pleased to be playing our part and finally delivering the long-awaited district centre.”

After being a brickworks, the phase 2 site was used as a landfill which accepted commercial and domestic waste. Work has now begun on testing soils before treatment, with the objective of limiting the amount of material removed from the site to landfill.

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The ground will then be engineered to an agreed specification so that it can accept development. Works will be completed by April.

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