Preston plan to go to public inquiry

A public inquiry is to be held after Oberston Holdings' proposed controversial £10m development in Preston was rejected by councillors a second time.

The firm – which is run by the Patel family – first submitted plans for an apartment and office complex at the junction of Shepherd Street and Rose Street in September last year.

But when the plans were thrown out by the planning committee on the grounds that it did not conform to council planning policy and was considered prejudicial to the £750m Tithebarn Regeneration Project, Oberston decided to appeal.

A smaller version of the previous application, which was for 75 apartments and 32 parking spaces, was resubmitted in December last year. But that too has now been turned down by councillors.

The decision over the first application will now be considered at the public inquiry at Preston Town Hall on April 1, during which written and spoken evidence from the applicants and the council will be examined by a Government inspector. A written judgement will follow.