Preston to reject ‘unauthorised’ city centre car park
AIM Capital will be told next week it must find a different use for its pay-and-display site off Saul Street.
The developer applied to Preston City Council for permission to continue to use the site as a car park. A three-year consent was granted in 2019 while redevelopment plans were drawn up.
This expired in 2022 and the site has continued to operate as an “unauthorised” car park for the last three years with no sign of a project forthcoming.
Now, the city council is set to reject a bid to obtain retrospective, permanent planning permission for the 50-space facility.
The council’s planning team said “surface car parks are not listed as a use permissible within the city centre” adding that the scheme would “contribute to the worsening of air quality within the city centre [and] discourage the use of more sustainable forms of transportation”.
The site sits opposite Preston Masonic Hall and was previously occupied by an NHS clinic.
Does the council realise that less and less people can be bothered to go into the town centre due to lack of access and parking
By Ian
Does it really matter. Kids are going hungry. Crime is on the increase. Fraud is out of control and you can’t get to see a doctor, however PCC are no doubt spending hard earned council tax money on weather a car park can carry on being used. Pathetic
By John
Preston wants shoppers money but not their cars.
When people can’t get easily to a shop they go elsewhere.
Shoppers should boycott Preston centre.
By Anonymous
So what about all the profit earned in the unauthorised time ?
By Marty83
You want an empty town centre? Cause that’s how you get an empty town centre.
By Stupidity hath no bounds
So the 50 cars that currently park, will have to find somewhere else, possibley a council car park? Doesn’t sound very sustainable.
By Anonymous
Preston desperately needs Reform ing.
By Dave the departed.