Preston greenlights 165 homes
Liberty Care Developments’ Cottam care home, Branco Capital’s 35 Winckley Square flats, and Community Gateway Association’s 58-home neighbourhood were all approved by the city council’s planning committee on Thursday.
All of the applications had been recommended for approval by the city council’s planning officers.
33-34 Winckley Square in Preston
- Application reference number: 06/2023/0124
Preston City Council gave the go-ahead to developer Branco Winckley Square’s scheme to demolish a two-storey storage building at the rear of 33-34 Winckley Square and construct a 35-flat apartment complex in its stead.
The soon-to-be-razed storage building currently occupying the site is one of the last remnants of Preston Catholic College, which closed in 1978.
Branco Winckley Square is a subsidiary of Branco Capital. Its vision for the site would feature 27 one-bedroom and eight two-bedroom flats. One of the two-bedroom units would be a duplex. Residents would have access to a ground floor gym, upper-floor coworking space, and a roof garden.
Access to the site would be from Mount Street. There would be five car parking spaces provided and 35 spaces for bikes to be stored.
Studio John Bridge designed the project for Branco. The project team includes flood risk assessor and drainage strategist BWB Consultants, transport expert MJM Consulting Engineers, planner Smith & Love, and noise consultant AEC. SPL Fire Safety, Bowland Tree Consultancy, and Ecology Services are also on the team.
Liberty Care Developments aims to start construction on the Cottam care home in the coming months. Credit: via Cavendish
Land at Sandy Lane in Cottam
- Application reference number: 06/2023/0599
Liberty Care Developments teamed up with Wain Homes for a successful application for a 72-bed care home near the junction of Sandy Lane and William Young Way in Cottam.
The 38,500 sq ft care home will be separated into four connecting blocks of two storeys. Each floor would have 36 bedrooms and ensuites. In terms of amenities, residents will be able to take advantage of a lounge, cinema, and beauty salon – as well as landscaped gardens.
To help residents, Liberty Care would provide specialist dementia care and 24-hour support.
The application also called for 28 car parking spaces, of which three would be designated as accessible and four would have access to an EV charging point. Designs include 10 cycle spaces and two motorcycle parking spaces as well.
C Squared Architects designed the project for the developers, while JLL handled the planning application.
The project team also includes transport consultant Cameron Rose Associates, landscape architect Landstruction, and engineering and environmental consultant BWB Consulting.
“We are delighted that members voted in line with the Officer’s recommendation for approval of our proposals for Cottam,” said Andrew Baddeley, managing director of Liberty Care Developments.
“Currently there is a significant need for modern care homes in the area, and the need for these types of facilities will only increase with an ageing population and people living longer,” he continued.
“The proposal will deliver high-quality 24-hour care for local elderly residents who can no longer safely live in their own homes. With registered nurses on site and a retained GP, the development will help ease pressures on existing GP surgeries and hospitals.”
Liberty Care Developments aims to commence construction within the next few months.
Land off Tabley Lane
- Application reference number: 06/2021/1226
Community Gateway Association can, at long last, proceed with its plans to construct 58 homes seven-acre plot between Tabley Lane and the Preston Northern Bypass.
Last week marked the third time the group’s application had gone before committee and the third time it had been successful. Councillors had been in favour of the application in December 2021 and November 2022 – the two approvals being necessary after an issue had been found in the officer report concerning funding support.
This third outing for the application was to adjust a condition for approval. In November, the committee had voted to approve the application subject to the completion of a Section 106 agreement.
Due to financial issues, Community Gateway wanted to adjust the condition so that approval could be granted prior to the signing and execution of the Section 106. However, work would not be able to start on the site until the Section 106 agreement was complete.
Last week saw councillors grant Community Gateway’s request.
With the latest positive vote, the group can now move forward with its plans. Designed by Levitt Bernstein, the application calls for the construction of a mixture of 12 apartments and 46 houses. Of the housing plots, 26 would be made available for custom-builds. The other 20 would be either two-bedroom, three-bedroom, or four-bedroom residences.
The project team includes PWA Planning, Amenity Tree Care, Hepworth Acoustics, SCP, and Powers.
