The long-awaited transformation of a landmark Preston building has got under way.

Amounderness House - the city's former magistrates' court on Lancaster Road - is being converted into flexible office space.

The £9m project, which is due to be completed in June 2027, will bring the Grade II-listed property back to life after around 25 years of standing idle.

It will feature 26 offices and four studios, plus meeting and event facilities, operated by Preston-based bespoke office space provider Wrkspace.

Maple Grove Developments, the development arm of Preston's Eric Wright Group, is working with Preston City Council to deliver the scheme, designed by FWP Architects.

Pictured at Amounderness House (L-R) are: Dave Watson from Eric Wright Construction, Julie Palmer from Preston City Council, Chris Heyward from Preston City Council, John Chesworth Chair of Preston's Town Fund, Cllr Valerie Wise cabinet member for community wealth building with Preston City Council, Rizwan Seth MD of Wrkspace, Miles Rogerson from Eric Wright Construction and Nick Hague project director at Maple Grove Developments. | .

placeholder image — Pictured at Amounderness House (L-R) are: Dave Watson from Eric Wright Construction, Julie Palmer from Preston City Council, Chris Heyward from Preston City Council, John Chesworth Chair of Preston's Town Fund, Cllr Valerie Wise cabinet member for community wealth building with Preston City Council, Rizwan Seth MD of Wrkspace, Miles Rogerson from Eric Wright Construction and Nick Hague project director at Maple Grove Developments. | .

Cllr Valerie Wise, cabinet member for community wealth building at the local authority, said: “The start of work on site makes our plans to breathe new life into this treasured building a reality. We believe that Amounderness House will play a major role in supporting the growth of innovative local businesses by providing them with a tailor-made city centre hub.”

John Chesworth, chair of Preston's Towns Fund Board, added: "On completion, Amounderness House will provide essential, state-of-the-art facilities to many of the exciting and progressive start-up and established small businesses that make Preston the commercial capital of Lancashire.”

Meanwhile, Rizwan Seth, managing director of Wrkspace, said the project would add to the firm's "successful and established network" of seven business centres across Lancashire.

"[It] represents an exciting opportunity to support Preston’s burgeoning corporate community with flexible, high-quality, bespoke workspace.”

Amounderness House is one of six major projects backed by Preston's Harris Quarter Towns Fund Investment Programme, which secured £20.9m from the government's Towns Fund in March 2021.