Expansion lined up for Cardinal Newman College

Architect Ellis Williams has designed the 10,000 sq ft teaching block at the Herschell Street site in Preston.

With plans now validated by Preston City Council, the sixth form college hopes to secure consent for its latest campus enhancement, looking to develop on-site by reducing a staff car park.

As set out by Ellis Williams in its design & access statement, “the College’s aspiration for this part of the campus is to provide additional high-quality general teaching accommodation that supports ongoing curriculum growth and responds to increased student numbers.

“The proposed new building has been located to strengthen the academic core of the site and improve the relationship between the St Augustine and St Teresa buildings. Rather than remodelling existing accommodation, the College’s strategy is to introduce a purpose built two-storey teaching block that enhances connectivity across the campus and creates a more coherent movement pattern between the upper and lower levels.”

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The new building, said Ellis Williams, will form a natural link between adjacent teaching facilities and will sit within an improved landscaped setting.

According to planning documents, the project would mean the loss of 26 car parking spaces from an area that currently provided 42 spots.

The professional team also includes planner Walsingham, project manager E3 Cube, Waterman Structures, Appleyard & Trew, Flinders Chase, Sandy Brown, Keelagher Okey Klein and Wardell Armstrong.

Cardinal Newman’s proposals can be seen on Preston City Council’s planning portal, reference 06/2025/1312.