Approval for office blocks scheme on car park

Plan to redevelop a car park in Preston have been approved.

The Martin Property Group is going to be build five office blocks on the 780-space plot at the Fishergate shopping centre, which the company owns.

At Preston City Council's planning committee meeting, an agent for the scheme dismissed concerns that there was not enough demand for office space given how many people now worked from home.

David Staniland said the firm "wouldn't be doing it" if "commercial advice" had not demonstrated the demand was there.

Five buildings of between nine and 15 storeys will be built as part of the project, and eventually the shopping centre - opened in the 1980s - will also be demolished.

Preston City Council has previously argued that the car park was "surplus to requirements".

The redeveloped site will offer 42 disabled parking bays and space for more than 230 bicycles to be stored.

Committee member Michael Peak said he was concerned that the work could go on for a long time and create disruption in the city centre.

Staniland said it would be "pure speculation" to say when later parts of the plan - including a public square and residential buildings - would be brought forward, but assured the scheme would not be "open-ended".

The committee approved the plan.

The city's Business Improvement District (BID) manager, MarkWhittle, said the decision was "a major step forward for Preston and an important signal of confidence in the city's future".

"Preston is in critical need of more high-quality Grade A office space to attract larger organisations and encourage them to establish a presence in the city centre," he said.

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