New sports facility planned for former Preston B&Q

An application has been submitted to Preston City Council for the conversion of the one-time B&Q branch off North Road.

The outlet closed down in January 2016 and later that year was taken over by homelessness charity Emmaus, which ran its megastore from the site until June 2023.

Documents lodged with town hall planners by a Bradford-based applicant identified only as M. Zafoor state that the proposed new use of the building will be for “indoor sport, recreation or fitness” – but stop short of providing any further specifics.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service asked the agent for the application, Kufic Architects, for further details, but did not receive a response.

However, an indication of what will not be on offer at the busy location comes from the fact that the planning category under which the proposal has been made excludes swimming, skating and the use of motorised vehicles and firearms.

The city authority is being asked to grant a “certificate of lawfulness” for the change, as the new facility falls under the same broad classification as the previous use – meaning full planning permission should not be required.