BXB begins Cottam site prep

Preparatory work for a district centre on a former brickworks site within Preston’s key housing growth area has started.

BXB Cottam Properties is advancing plans for an Aldi store, 89 homes and 118,350 sq ft of flexible retail and commercial space, representing phase two of the redevelopment of the former Cottam Brickworks. A planning application has been lodged with Preston City Council.

Lane End Developments and Jigsaw Homes delivered 116 social housing dwellings within the first phase, working in partnership with Homes England after BXB delivered infrastructure.

The wider Cottam area forms a crucial plank of Preston’s housing strategy, with major plans advancing by housebuilders including Barratt Homes, which expects reseed matters approval on 350-plus units this week, along with Taylor Wimpy and Bloor Homes. The area is earmarked for 1,100 new homes.

Gary Goodman, director of BXB, said: “The district centre at Cottam is a key component of the growth strategy for north Preston. The site is allocated in the Central Lancashire core strategy and the Preston local plan and is a priority site in the Preston City Deal.

“With the continuing levels of housebuilding in the area and a lack of local retail and other services. Cottam desperately requires a district centre to service local residents’ needs. This was underlined through public consultation in which the proposals received strong community support.”

Goodman added that the “only outstanding piece of the jigsaw” is to secure agreement from Lancashire County Council and Homes England over the use of a small parcel of land, saying he expects resolution on the matter soon.

Following its use as a brickworks, the site was used for landfill. Work is now taking place on testing soils before treatment, with the objective of limiting the amount of material removed from the site. Works are expected to be completed by April.

BXB Land Solutions works with developers and landowners to take forward potentially problematic sites. It is working with Promenade Estates in St Helens and last year secured a former mill site in Hoddlesden, Darwen where it has plans for 79 homes.

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