REVEALED: The Preston city centre facelift plan that could leave some areas unrecognisable in 10 years' time

That is one of the aims of a plan designed to encourage a radical revamp of the area around the city’s railway station - as well as to attract and retain new and existing businesses and public sector operations.

The vision laid out in the Preston Station Quarter Regeneration Framework would see the wholesale redevelopment of the Fishergate Shopping Centre and its car park to create a mix of retail and leisure outlets, along with the kind of modern, high-quality office space that is currently unavailable in the city.

That would form the backdrop to a striking new “welcome square” to greet passengers emerging from the railway station, which would itself be reoriented so that the main entrance moves from the ramp up to Fishergate to the current side opening out onto Butler Street.

The new public space could also see more direct links created from the station through to Winckley Square and Preston’s flagship Avenham and Miller parks.

Other proposals include the development of more city centre housing - some of which would be built in the shadow of County Hall - and a better connection between the station and the University of Central Lancashire’s (UCLan) recently redesigned campus.

The framework has now been officially adopted by Preston City Council’s cabinet, following a public consultation earlier this year. The document - which was drawn up by consultants on behalf of the authority, together with Lancashire County Council and UCLan, will act as a guide to the “co-ordinated and comprehensive” development of that part of the city centre to which it relates..

It splits the area into four distinct quadrants and suggests possible new uses and appearances for each of them. However, the blueprint remains reliant on individual planning applications being submitted by developers interested in bringing its ambitions to life.

Preston City Council’s cabinet member for planning and regulation, David Borrow, told the Post that the framework was “aspirational” and could help put those developers and the authority’s planners “on the same page”.

He also said that the vision - should it ultimately be realised - would help cement Preston’s city status, 20 years after it was granted the moniker.

“You can name somewhere as a city, but you've got to get to a certain stage [before it becomes one].

“Preston has got the characteristics of a city in terms of demography and employment - and just the feel [of it]. There are a number of things happening around the city centre which just take Preston to a different level [compared to] anywhere else in the county.

“The aspiration now [is to] position some grade A offices right next to the station - that’s a big positive for the city, because there is a shortage of [such space] and that’s the obvious place for it to be developed.

“I think that the sale of the Fishergate Shopping Centre last year to a company [the Martin Property Group] interested in developing the site gives us an opportunity to do something with that.

“[We would also like] to bring more people into the city centre [to live], rather than feeling that all the population growth has to be on the outskirts of the city, using up greenfield.

“We’ve got the huge development [happening] in North West Preston, but once that’s complete, virtually everything is built out as far as the M55,” Cllr Borrow said.

The Station Quarter Framework sets out the strengths and weaknesses of the area in the vicinity of the transport hub - stating that it “does not currently fulfil its potential as a key gateway to the city and the [Lancashire] region”.

The document adds: “Whilst the listed station buildings are undeniably impressive and station facilities are earmarked for some improvement, the immediate surroundings of the station deliver a poor first impression of the city. The vision for the Station Quarter is to transform the area to create a fitting gateway to the city and the region.

“As Lancashire’s largest and busiest railway station with excellent national connectivity, including future high speed rail services, the station is a major asset that can serve to attract new city centre development and investment.

“This could enhance the sense of arrival into Preston and contribute to improving its wider identity and, by association, the identity of other partners, most notably UCLan.”

The university is identified as underpinning a focus on education, health and innovation in Preston.

The framework describes the “rare opportunity” for the significant redevelopment of such a wide area, along with an ambition to get ahead of trends in how city centres are developing - including “the changing nature of the retail, leisure and office market” and the need to provide flexible workspaces for activity that cannot easily be done remotely.

It also seeks to promote an “environmentally sustainable, low carbon development” - and establishes a series of design principles that will inform the transformation of the area.

Cllr Borrow says that “well-designed modern buildings” are a realistic and necessary aim for the redevelopment of the Station Quarter, in order to guard against the “examples that don't meet that criteria” which can be found in many other cities.

However, he believes that Preston has something of a head start in its ambitions due to the “pent-up investment left to come into the city” following the relative lack of activity in the years following the collapse of the retail-led Tithebarn project over a decade ago.

The framework will not have the status of the local plan when it comes to determining future planning applications - nor even the weight of a supplementary planning document which lays out specific aims regarding the nature of development in an area. But it will be able to be regarded as a material planning consideration as part of the approval process.

Meanwhile, what of those who would say that Preston will not look much like Preston if and when the vision within the Station Quarter plan becomes a reality?

“That's progress, isn't it?” Cllr Borrow muses.

“I say that in the sense that when I came to Preston in 1975, it was a northern industrial town, not dissimilar to many other[s] - but it isn't just a northern industrial town now.

“It’s got past that mark where we are a city.”

WHAT’S HAPPENING WHERE

This is what is envisioned for each of the four locations that make up Preston’s Station Quarter.

Station East

Where: Butler Street station entrance and Fishergate Shopping Centre

The problem: The shopping precinct provides a "blank, unwelcoming frontage" to the station’s busy Butler Street entrance, while vehicle movements pose practical problems for pedestrians

The plan:

***New public square

***Upgraded station entrance

***Creation of a mobility hub

***Full or partial redevelopment of the shopping centre to create mixed-use buildings with a reduced number of retail units and increased space for leisure and food businesses, as well as hotel and apartment options on upper levels

***Creation of 'grade A' office space

***Housing development to the south of the site

County Hill

Where: The area centred around County Hall, which it is expected will continue to be used as the headquarters of Lancashire County Council, although fewer staff may be in regular attendance post-pandemic.

The problem: While the 19th century complex is considered to be of historic and architectural merit, there are no formal areas of open space and landscape features are also lacking. Half of the site is taken up with surface car parking.

The plan:

***Creation of housing blocks and some new public sector buildings on the car park to the north of County Hall

***Development of a multi-storey car park to partially replace the lost parking spaces

***Formation of new streets to create a pedestrian-focused 'campus environment', along with open spaces – including a 'pocket park' on the corner ofFishergate Hill and Bow Lane

University Walk

Where: The Corporation Street corridor between Fishergate and UCLan.

The problem: Poor quality buildings and public realm, combined with vacant sites, are considered to be undermining the route between the city centre and university campus.

The plan:

***Comprehensive redevelopment of the area between Fishergate and Heatley Street to create a "seamless, high-quality urban environment that forms a strong relationship between the station and UCLan".

***Enhanced pedestrian infrastructure, including prioritisation for those on foot

***Creation of new buildings that could provide university accommodation and workspaces, as well as retail opportunities

Station West

Where: Area to the west of the station, dominated by rail depots and the Royal Mail sorting office

The problem: Former 'parcel platforms' of the station, for mail trains, are now disused

The plan:

***Work at Preston Station to accommodate HS2-compatible services including bringing the former parcels platforms back into use for local and regional passenger services

***Creation of a western entrance to the station

***Theoretical possibility of residential development in the area, but only if Royal Mail ever decides to vacate the site

CUTTING BACK ON CARS - AND PARKING

Under the framework, a new mobility hub would be created to the east of the railway station, with the aim of creating a "one-stop shop" for travel needs - specifically promoting sustainable transport across the city centre and enabling people to swap between different modes of travel seamlessly.

That would include the provision of public transport information and details of walking and cycling routes, along with shower and locker facilities for cyclists and pedestrians.

The framework also describes the need to create a "balanced car parking strategy". The plans to redevelop the Fishergate Shopping Centre would see the 720 spaces currently provided there lost - although there would be an opportunity to replace a proportion of them within the basements or on the ground level of the residential and commercial units proposed for the plot.

The 1,025 spaces available in the railway station multi-storey car park would remain, in anticipation of a growth in train passenger numbers.

REACTION TO PRESTON’S PROPOSED REVAMP

“We are delighted to hear that Preston City Council’s cabinet has backed these exciting proposals. Regenerating the area between the university and the train station will lead to many opportunities to develop educational and enterprise activities in the heart of the city.” Ruth Connor, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, UCLan

“The Station Quarter regeneration is a great opportunity to bring new people into the centre of Preston. Not only is the prospect of new jobs being created to be welcomed, but those extra people coming into the city centre each day will be a massive boost to nearby shops and food outlets. The plans will also provide a more pleasant first impression for those arriving by train, encouraging new and repeated visitors. We support this regeneration and will work to ensure Preston and Lancashire are able to reap the benefits of levelling up funding and improved transport links, including HS2 services.” Geoff Mason, Policy Manager, North and Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce

"The Station Quarter is a major gateway into the city, with significant potential to generate new jobs, prosperity and provide space for quality new homes. As well as driving economic growth here in Preston, it will also provide these new opportunities for people and businesses elsewhere in the county thanks to its excellent connectivity for rail and bus services. We're proud that we've been able to work jointly with Preston City Council and UCLan to create this bold new framework to guide regeneration in this part of the city." County Cllr Aidy Riggott, cabinet member for economic development and growth, Lancashire County Council

The Martin Property Group, owner of the Fishergate Shopping Centre since April 2021, was also approached for comment.