Green light for £10m Preston sports hub
Work will begin this summer on the two-storey Ashton Park complex off Pedders Lane, with a view to completion next year.
Preston City Council’s planning committee followed recommendations to approve the scheme which features half-a-dozen grass pitches, a café, changing rooms on the ground floor, and classrooms on the first floor.
Costing £9.7m, a significant chunk of the council’s £20m Levelling Up Fund grant from the government, the development will also include a 3G pitch, 120 car park spaces, and a foot/cycleway within the park at the 15,000 sq ft location.
The site is currently a council-owned space featuring a playing field, children’s play area, outdoor gym, and car park.
Junction improvements to Pedders Lane are also to be carried out as part of the development.
The project has been led by Cassidy + Ashton and Eric Wright Construction, with Ascerta, KRS Environmental, DEP Landscape Architecture, Environoise, and Salford Archaeology also on the team.
Speaking after the meeting, Adrian Robinson, director of environment and property at Preston City Council said: “This new community hub will deliver a range of services and improve the quality of life for local residents, community sports clubs and the wider Preston community.”
James Eager, director of Eric Wright Construction added: “We’re really pleased to have the approval from the planning committee for Ashton Park and we aim to start on site later this year.
“The park has been underused for many years but the new facilities will enable youngsters to play grassroots sports all year round and the team is keen to bring this forward now planning is secured.”
To view the application, search for reference number 06/2023/1379 on Preston City Council’s planning portal.
Shame the city no longer has its national football museum to centre this around. Instead it went to shore up the Urbis white elephant.
By Jeff