Plans to revitalise gateways into Preston are to be revealed to the Preston public in a former shop at the Fishergate Centre.
In a change to the previously announced public relations exercise (see here) local people have again the opportunity to find out more and have their say on plans to alter entrances to the city.
The plans go on show in a former hairdressers located at the side entrance to the Fishergate Centre on Butler Street across from the railway station.
From Tuesday 19 March until Saturday 23 March staff will be on hand to talk about the scheme and listen to comments. Preparatory work is underway, as Preston residents will have noticed, on the £3.4m Preston Central Gateway project.
The project will enhance two of the key approaches to Preston city centre, boosting private sector investment by enabling commercial developments to come forward, through the creation of ‘an attractive city centre appealing to many different users.’
The Fishergate Central Gateway scheme is part funded by £1.38m the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and a further £2m from Lancashire County Council.
The main areas to benefit will be the stretch from Preston railway station up Fishergate as far as Lune Street, and Corporation Street from the junction with Ringway up to Fishergate and along Ringway to the Friargate crossing.
This second approach leads to the UCLan campus and Preston’s central business district (a new cycle path for UCLan students from the train station to the campus is envisioned).
The project, of which Preston City Council is a key partner, looks to use a variety of measures to be more friendlier for pedestrians – but not pedestrianising Fishergate. Hopefully, the area will be more attractive, less cluttered, with better pedestrian links between key parts of the city centre.
The Department for Communities and Local Government is the managing authority for the European Regional Development Fund Programme, which is one of the funds established by the European Commission to help local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support local businesses and create jobs.