The Park Hotel stands overlooking Miller Park Pic: Tony Worrall

A hotel overlooking the beauty of Avenham and Miller Parks is to be brought back into use.

Park Hotel, which is owned by Lancashire County Council, is seeing plans drawn up for a hotel operator to come in and run the site.

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The county council is transferring the building to its pension fund, which is to finance the redevelopment of the site.

A 1960s office block on the site is to be demolished as part of the scheme and replaced with new offices where the pension fund for the county council are to be based.

Discussions are ongoing with a ‘preferred operator’ to run the hotel and the building is also to include a spa.

Related: More hotels needed to meet Preston city centre’s growing demand

Leader of the county council councillor Jennifer Mein said: “This is fantastic news as it represents a major, multi-million pound investment in the city centre.

“It’s another development that, together with the huge amount of activity and investment surrounding the City Deal, tells potential investors that this area is on the up and looking to the future.

“We’re pleased to be using one of the council’s buildings in this way to unlock economic potential and support growth.”

An aerial view of the Park Hotel on East Cliff

The Park Hotel opened in 1883 and was formerly a luxury hotel for rail travellers.

Read more: Old Post Office building to be sold to ‘small hotel chain’

A pension fund plan also sees major works to the area around the hotel, with a new footbridge planned and cycle routes.

Chair of the pension fund county councillor Kevin Ellard said: “I’m delighted that our Pension Fund’s property managers have been able to secure this excellent development, which will bring this iconic part of the Preston landscape back to its original use.

“Not only will this renaissance of the Victorian-era Park Hotel enhance this part of the city, it will also boost the leisure and commercial offer to residents and visitors alike.”

Do you have any memories of the Park Hotel? What do you think of the news? Let us know in the comments below