More luxury flats planned for Preston city centre

A developer wants to turn four floors of offices above the former Browns Cafe Bar and Truth nightclub in Glovers Court into 24 flats.

TSS properties Ltd, who have been converting the former EH Booths headquarters further up the street into luxury accommodation, have now been given prior approval for a change of use for Buckingham House.

But the city council wants assurances about noise insulation between the apartments and also to protect against any commercial use on the ground and first floor.

The company plans to put six flats on each of floors two, three, four and five which were all used as business offices in the past.

The building, at one time in the property portfolio of Preston North End owner Trevor Hemmings, used to house a trade union education centre run by Preston College.

The ground floor opened as Browns Cafe Bar (inset) in 1998 and the first floor became Truth nightclub in 2003.

In a report confirming prior approval, the council has set out five conditions on the developer, particularly in relation to noise.

The company has been ordered to carry out a detailed noise impact assessment for the proposed apartments during the day, in the evening and throughout the night.

The development is the latest in a number of office block conversions as Preston pursues its aim of returning areas of the city centre from commercial use to living accommodation.

Only last week plans were revealed to convert Ribchester House, at the corner of Lancaster Road and Ringway into 36 apartments.