UCLan masterplan up for Preston planning approval

Striking plans to establish a public square and new student centre at the Adelphi roundabout will be put to the vote by city councillors.

Local authority officers have recommended the £60m project - which includes changes to traffic flow - be given the green light.

Related article: First glimpse of new Preston gatewayThe new public space has been designed to link the university and the city.

And the vast student centre, located adjacent to the Adelphi pub, will act as a campus gateway, designed by architects Hawkins/Brown after the result of a competition including a public vote.

Documents submitted to the town hall say the student centre design “has been influenced by the history of Preston’s textile industry, but more importantly its future, in aerospace and electronics.”

The plans have been designed along with both Lancashire County and Preston City councils with a view to reduce traffic through the campus with improved cycling and pedestrian routes.

The Galloway’s Society for the Blind has raised objections about the “shared space” aspect of the public square, citing safety concerns posed by crossing points.

The over-arching campus masterplan, estimated to cost £200m, is a 10-year scheme launched in 2015.

Michael Ahern, chief operating officer at UCLan, said: “These are exciting times for the university and the city and there is huge potential in the scheme, which is just the start of the development process.”

Seven terraced properties along St Peter’s Square would be bulldozed as part of the plan.

The planning committee meets on Thursday, January 11.