Verdict on key change to former Preston court refurbishment plans
A major change to the long-awaited refurbishment of Preston’s former magistrates’ court site has been given the green light.
A building within the historic Grade II-listed Amounderness House complex will be refitted rather than demolished after the rethink was approved by Preston City Council planners.
The premises – on Lancaster Road, next to the town hall – are being converted into a flexible workspace hub and retail units, having stood largely disused for more than 25 years.
Under plans first granted permission in November 2023, the 19th and early 20th-century sections of the disused property were to be refurbished, with some of its more modern additions being flattened.
However, the arm of the city council delivering the scheme last month asked for approval from the authority’s independent planning department to retain and modify the south wing of the site. It had been due to be replaced with a new building housing a pair of ‘duplex’ craft, studio or retail spaces.
Now – in what the Lancashire Post understands is an attempt to curb costs on the £9m project – the original two-storey building will be “cleaned, repaired and repointed” in order to house the same facilities previously proposed for its replacement.
Planning officers concluded that as the flat-roofed block is of “little or no interest”, there were no listed building-related reasons to object to the changes it will undergo if it is to stay standing.
These include lowering the existing window sills to create large, “shopfront-style” curtain walling, framed with boxed aluminium window surrounds. New windows will also be installed on the first floor.
It was originally estimated the overall scheme would cost £7.4m when it was given the go-ahead two years ago.
Twenty-six offices and workspaces of various sizes will be created on the site to cater for both established companies and start-up businesses. They will be operated by Preston-based bespoke office space provider Wrkspace.
The overhaul, which is now poised to get under way, will also involve the creation of a new public space within the existing courtyard area.
The revamp formed part of Preston’s successful bid to the government’s Towns Fund, which saw the city handed £20.9m for a raft of projects in March 2021.