Fresh proposals for sports hall to make way for nine storey building with 69 apartments in Preston

A sports hall in the centre of Preston could be torn down to make way for a nine storey building made up of 65 apartments.

The existing sports hall at 10-16 Garden Street is planned for an area where buildings are generally three to four storeys high, with some going up to six storeys.

Planning documents from applicant Mustak Bhailok, Northern Estates state: “The proposal will include demolition of existing building to both streets and a new build development of high quality and a modern piece of contemporary architecture.

“The scheme will comprise of a ground floor and eight floors above, having a total of nine storeys.

“It will be fully residential use to provide 65 apartments.

“The scheme is intended to be sympathetically designed to respect its context and neighbours in terms of both detail and design and to deal with issues such as rights to light, amenity and overlooking.

“The scheme also seeks to provide a building of a quality design in the existing urban townscape and one that is appropriate in terms of mass and scale.”

The site is at Garden Street corner with Mount Street in Preston, next to Winckley Square.

Access for cars and a parking area will be built in the rear part of the building. But designers say there are several car park areas in the surrounding areas, such as in East Cliff Road.

Plans for the demolition and subsequent build have been sent to planners at Preston City Council.

Documents from Northern Estates argue that the height of the building will not have a negative effect on the “surrounding environment in terms of height” but argued that it would blend in.

Planning documents state: “Various building height types appear to be grouped together throughout the area.

“Three to four storey buildings dominate the immediate surrounding area of the site, while five to six storey buildings are all grouped near the site.

“Currently, the existing building is only a single storey building, however its height makes the building as tall as the surrounding two storey structures.

“With the proposed structure being eight storeys tall, it will contrast and blend its immediate adjacent neighbours.

"This means the proposed building won’t have a negative contradictory effect on the surrounding environment in terms of height.”