Eric Wright wins contract for £18m Friargate scheme

Portergate Properties has appointed the construction firm to an £18m regeneration project in Preston city centre, which will deliver retail units and student accommodation.

The 1.5-acre brownfield site will see the construction of a 253-bedroom building in a mix of one, two and three bedroom apartments, with two retail units on the ground floor. Portergate said the development was aimed at providing boutique hotel-style accommodation to students at the nearby University of Central Lancashire.

Eric Wright Group will start demolition work on the site in the coming weeks. The whole project will take 12-14 months to deliver.

Anthony Jackson, chairman of Portergate Properties, said: "The appointment of Eric Wright underlines our commitment to utilising the skills of local companies wherever possible during the construction work, helping to create and secure local jobs in the sector. That is very important to us as a North West company.

"This will be the biggest building project in Preston and the development will play a key role in our continued expansion plans in the North West."

The development plan was created by Manchester architecture practice Leach Rhodes Walker.

Portergate, based in Hyde, is also working on the £7m Riverside House student accommodation development in Salford.