Plans in for 469 Preston apartments
The project is the “first significant scheme” in the Stoneygate Regeneration Framework Masterplan to come forward, according to planner Cassidy + Ashton.
Stoneygate Living is the developer behind the application. Stoneygate Living counts Yousuf Bux and Peter Waring as its directors. Bux is also a director at Austringer Capital, which secured approval in July to convert the Blackpool Odeon cinema into a family entertainment centre.
Designed by David Cox Architects, Stoneygate Living’s plans focus on the former Dryden Mill site, which sits at the corner of Manchester Road, Queen Street, and Grimshaw Street in Preston. The land is currently being used as an outdoor car park.
View of the project from Queens Park Retail. Credit: via planning documents
An outline planning application submitted to Preston City Council calls for the building of two apartment buildings ranging from three to 16 storeys in height. There would be retail on the ground floor of the buildings, with public realm in between the two connecting Grimshaw Street and Manchester Road.
The apartments would include a mix of one-, two-, and three-bed flats. Of the 469 proposed, 129 would be for those over the age of 55. These flats would sit within their own block, which would also have a cinema room, lounges, library and roof terrace for residents.
The remaining 340 apartments would be market housing.
Three retail spaces are proposed in the application, with the largest having a gross floorspace of 5,100 sq ft. A smaller, 1,700 sq ft, unit would front Manchester Road. The smallest of those proposed is 1,300sq ft and would sit on the corner of Queen Street and Grimshaw Street.
Stoneygate Living’s plans also include two car parks offering a total of 105 spaces and an additional 13 spaces along Manchester Road.
View of Stoneygate Living’s plans from Manchester Road. Credit: via planning documents
If approved, the project will see the council’s vision for an “urban village” in the nearly 94-acre Stoneygate area to move forward. The Stoneygate masterplan calls for the building of 1,600 homes and was approved by Preston City Council in 2020.
In addition to David Cox Architects and Cassidy + Ashton, the project team includes PSA Design on drainage strategy, Zero3 on energy consultancy, C. J. O’Flaherty on heritage, TPM Landscape on landscape architecture, and Cora IHT on transport.
The application’s reference number with Preston City Council is 06/2022/1084.
