Plans go into give a longstanding Preston car dealership a new look, including the addition of a 16 bed HMO

Some big plans have been revealed for a longstanding car dealership in Preston.

13-16 Great Hanover Street has been Premier Car Sales since 2015 but before that it had been various other car dealerships over recent decades.

New plans submitted to Preston City Council reveal that whilst the site is earmarked to still retain its traditional use, a 16 bed House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) is planned to be built on top of it.

Last week, Preston City Council received an application for the demolition of the existing car sales building and the erection of a replacement two storey building with a car sales space retained at the ground floor level and 16 HMO units provided on the first floor.

As part of this, permission is also sought for the removal of an existing drop kerb on Great Hanover Street and the creation of one new drop kerb off Egbert Street, two new drop kerbs off Great Hanover Street and a new car parking area with secure cycle parking and a small landscaped area.

Planning documents confirm that the 16 HMOs will be one bedroom, complete with an ensuite toilet, wardrobe, desk and sofa.

There will then be one communal kitchen/lounge/dining area for the 16 residents to share.

The new car sales space on the ground floor will see only a loss of 30 square metres compared to its predecessor but the new HMO units mean the site overall will see an additional 404 square metres added to its original footprint.

The car sales room will also see its number of employees increase from four full time and zero part time to eight full time and four part time.

In the planning statement, the agent from Astonwood Architectural Design explains that the current two storey property is in “poor condition” whilst the new one, which will retain the original ‘L’ shape, is to “provide an attractive outlook, together with lighting to external areas, off road car parking and bicycle parking.”

The agent adds that the “re-development of this site provides a great opportunity to enhance and improve this area of Preston” which is already home to a “strong mixture of retail, commercial and residential properties that include HMO.”

In support of the application, Castle Homes Estate Agents submitted a document confirming that they would take on all 16 HMO Bedsits on a long lease arrangement once the project is ready to take in the new residents.

Castle Homes wrote: “We own a number of properties in and around the surrounding area. With the majority of our clients on a long lease arrangement we are very confident that the 16no HMO Bedsits shown on the proposed drawings will be secured quickly by professionals on a long lease arrangement.

“It is in a great location, in a employment area and very close to Preston City Centre which is in walking/cycling distance with bus stops located on North Road & St. Pauls Road.

“With planning recently approved for a HMO development on 107, Kent Street, Preston for 5no bedsits located 150 yards away from this development we see no reason why this proposal should not be approved.”

The application form confirms that work has not yet started on the proposal, which will also not affect the number of car parking spaces but see an additional 6 cycle spaces added.

A consultation period has begun for the proposal, with members of the public having until May 29 2026 to comment quoting reference number 06/2026/0189.

You can view the full application for yourself online here.

If you wish to make comments, you can do so via the link above; by e-mail to [email protected] or in writing to Development & Housing Directorate, Preston City Council, Town Hall, Lancaster Road, Preston PR1 2RL

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