Improving footway at entrance of Preston Guild Hall could set the city council back £86k

Improvements to a footway outside the entrance to Preston Guild Hall could set the city council back £86k.
Councillors look set to commit 86,000 to improve footway at Guild HallCouncillors look set to commit 86,000 to improve footway at Guild Hall
Councillors look set to commit 86,000 to improve footway at Guild Hall

The cash, which will be borrowed, would see damaged paving and tree pits, pushing up tarmac on Lancaster Road, fixed.

According to a report which is set to come before a council meeting at Preston Town Hall on Thursday work on the path had been put off over plans for new staircases at the Guild Hall were abandoned.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Council documents say: “The area of footway was not improved during 2018 in order to allow for the removal of the existing staircase that leads to the first level balcony of the Guild Hall, which was to be replaced with two new staircases, one to be located at either corner of the frontage of the Guild Hall; thus improving the façade of the building.

“The removal of the staircase was not carried out by the previous owner and the footway remains in a relatively poor condition.”

Lancashire County Council (LCC) is due to begin the work in September at the latest if the city council is able to pitch in the £86,000 to contribute to the cost.

Although the majority of the footway outside of the Guild Hall is adopted public highway, and therefore the responsibility of LCC, a section of footway in question - approximately 185 square metres, comes under the ownership of Preston City Council (PCC).

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

City councillors are being encouraged to give the plans the green light, committing the funds to LCC to carry out the work.

The report states: “In the past, this footway area has been used to park outside broadcast vehicles connected to the televising of events at the Guild Hall, most notably snooker tournaments.

"Reinforcing the footway as part of the works will ensure that this external area can continue to be used for future televised events should the area be required.”