Preston tipped to sign off 500+ homes and mosque
A proposal from Barratt David Wilson for 477 dwellings in a long-awaited redevelopment of the former Whittingham Hospital is the largest item facing June’s planning committee.
Whittingham Hospital – 06/2025/0008
Housebuilding giant BDW is working on sections of a masterplan where a variety of proposals have come forward since the hospital closed in 1995.
National regeneration agency Homes England’s predecessor body acquired the wider hospital site as part of a nationwide hospitals programme in 2005 and established an outline consent in 2020 for around 750 homes.
Stantec is advising on planning, with HTA Design as project architect for this project, which represents four sections of the masterplan BDW has secured in a deal with Homes England.
As set out in the officers’ report, the application covers part of the former Whittingham complex, excluding Guild Park and the Hermitage which were retained by the NHS. All told, the housing put forward here accounts for 67 of the overall site’s 120 acres.
This parcel forms phases 3b, 3c, 4a and 4b of the redevelopment project, and is allocated for housing in Preston’s Local Plan.
A small portion of the northern part of the application site, bound by Cumeragh Lane and the cemetery, is identified as green infrastructure. Access to all phases would be taken from two junctions on the new spine road, approved under a previous application.
The breakdown of the number of dwellings proposed in each phase, and associated percentage of affordable dwellings in that phase, is as follows:
- Phase 3b – 184 dwellings (5% affordable)
- Phase 3c – 21 dwellings (5% affordable)
- Phase 4a – 150 dwellings (20% affordable)
- Phase 4b – 122 dwellings (20% affordable).
A number of previous proposals have been approved for some or all of the site, with most failing to gain traction. However, a scheme is now currently advancing at the Whittingham & Goosnargh Sports & Social Club site – HE launched a contractor search last summer for a £6m sports facility.
Most key issues around this application have already been settled at outline consent stage, including access and the level of affordable homes. No objections have been received.
Land east of Swainson House Farm – 06/2025/0182
That cannot be said of the plans for housing east of Swainson House Farm, Goosnargh Lane, another project that has bounced back and forth in the planning system. Two parish councils and a local councillor are opposed, with another 72 letters of objection registered.
A decision was deferred at May’s meeting, when the scheme was originally considered.
Applicants Gillian Wells, Thomas Swarbrick and Lynn Johnson seek outline permission for 95 homes.
Emery Planning is advising on the proposals, for 10.7 acres, with 35% affordable homes. Approval is recommended by officers, pending a Section 106 contribution featuring a £138,000 contribution for bus services.
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Access will come from Goosnargh Lane via the next site, where 40 homes were consented in a 2019 decision. The land is designated as open countryside, close to the Goosnargh village boundary.
Two previous applications have sought consent for up to 87 homes, both being refused – one of these refusals was taken to appeal but was dismissed as Preston had by that time demonstrated its five-year supply to the Planning Inspector’s satisfaction.
However, that situation has changed. Officers state that Preston cannot currently demonstrate a five-year supply under the standard methodology, and thus approval is recommended.
Land south of D’Urton Lane – 06/2025/0309
Reserved matters approval, mostly relating to landscaping, is sought for the “Brick Veil” mosque, cleared at Secretary of State level in January 2023.
Cassidy + Ashton is advising on planning, with Ryder Landscape Consultants working on design.
The 16,000 sq ft mosque was subject of a RIBA international design competition in 2021, which was won by Luca Poian Forms.
The M55 runs to the south of the site, with the Broughton Bypass (James Towers Way) located to the west.
The project has been approved by the Secretary of State. Credit: Luca Poian Forms via RIBA
In terms of soft landscaping, the project team will retain trees on northern bank, adjacent to D’Urton Lane, and introduce green roof planting to the ancillary building/management hub adjacent to the northern bank.
Existing trees will be retained along the site boundary and added to with more trees, while further greenery will be added to the site to separate the plaza and the car park. Groundcover ivy will be introduced in several areas, with hedges and plants also used across the site.
Hard landscaping proposals include bitumen macadam surfacing to entrance apron, access ramp, and pedestrian access within the car park, parking bays in slate colour block paving, granite setts for roadway and parking bays in silver grey; and stone benches to edge the plaza space.
Preston’s planning committee meets on Thursday 5 June.
the mosque looks incredible
By Anonymous
A sad day for Broughton. Objections ignored.
By Anonymous
This Mosque and more HOUSING WILL CAUSE HUGE TRAFFIC PROBLEMS FOR PRESTON
By D Salisbury
Almost all new developments that are proposed appear to he affordable.Is affordable a new name for social council houses to get funded by the LA ?.With the current building regulations that demand high levels of insulation and expensive heating systems it is not possible to build cheap affordable homes which also require expensive infrastructure including water treatment sewerage electrical power and more public services.
By Paul griffiths
The M6 motorway at this junction is at its limit your proposed building work will block this part of Preston for years.Its not needed.
By Anonymous
Readers should be aware that this story received several comments stating opposition to the building of the mosque mentioned in this story and mosques more generally in the area. However, due to the offensive nature of the comments, they were not published. Dan (PNW)
By Dan Whelan
I’m sorry but we do not need another mosque in Preston as we already have enough of them. What we need is more schools and doctors for all the houses that are being thrown up all over the place.
We also need to maintain our green belt areas for the birds and wildlife.
We do not need more greedy investor’s throwing unwanted buildings up. There is nothing affordable about them.
By Anonymous
@Paul – Affordable Housing is defined in law as encompassing a range of tenures, including sale models – shared ownership/shared equity – to allow people to get onto the housing ladder. It also includes rented homes – typically comprised of a mix of ‘affordable rent’ which is rented by a housing association at no more than 70% of market rents, and social rent, which should be affordable for somebody claiming housing benefit (but there can often be a shortfall the tenant will need to make up). Local authorities will normally have a policy for how what percentage of homes in a scheme should be affordable and the preferred split of sale and rented. There is often a negotiation between the LA and the developer to achieve a balance between meeting local needs and viability of a scheme. Housing associations can access government funding to subsidise the delivery of affordable housing, particularly when a scheme seeks to delivery affordable housing above the policy requirement. As the value of social rented homes is often significantly outweighed by the cost of building them, they are typically only delivered by housing associations or local authorities, with access to such funds.
By Ardy
The so called affordable homes are all pre sold to housing associations (and similar investors) for social housing. There is no such thing as affordable homes being sold to the general public. 100% are sold in blocks to meet guidelines. Some are rented and others sold on a share basis. Plus the service charge contract is then sold usually to the same social housing buyers/investers.
Why is a single faith church of worship being included in the plan? Who is funding the build ? … If it is part of the 106 money or condition of getting planning permission then it should be a multi faith church not cater for segrigation.
By Zabby
Why does the mosque have to be so large? And why must the whole development be so close to another planned development in the same area?
By Anonymous