The Bus Station and car park are in the brutalist style of architecture, popular in the 1960s

The first legal stage in transferring Preston Bus Station to the county council has been approved.

Council leader Peter Rankin has signed the heads of term arrangement which allows the grade-II listed building, associated land and the multi-storey car park to be transferred to County Hall ownership.

But the documents detailing the exact terms the two authorities are negotiating on is restricted from public view.

A decision notice published on the city council website shows four documents as part of the agreement – but all four are restricted as they contain “information relating to the financial or business affair of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).”

In December the proposal to move ownership of the building to Lancashire County Council was approved after a call-in appeal from former county council leader Geoff Driver failed.

A council spokesman said it was usual council business to restrict public viewing of the term of contracts for the disposal of land and buildings.

The Bus Station was made a listed building in September, and the council u-turned on a previous decision to demolish the building.

Blog Preston has now lodged a freedom of information request via WhatDoTheyKnow to request the public release of the heads of term agreement – citing the exceptional public interest in the future of the building.

What do you think about the transfer of ownership? Let us know in the comments below