Bulldozers in 2009 working on the site of the former Booths distribution depot

A stalled development on derelict land in Preston’s city centre looks to be set to move ahead.

The former Booths depot and land off Queen Street on the Queens Retail Park is now wholly owned by Cheshire-based The Brookhouse Group.

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Previous owners of the Booths land, Countryside Properties, have sold up, meaning the developers can now apply to create a new supermarket, petrol station, car park, retail units and more on the thousands of square metres which currently sit empty.

Demolition work to start preparing the land for development started in 2009 and a planning application was approved in 2012, for the scheme known as the Horrock’s Quarter.

An artists impression of how the Queen Street retail park could look

But wrangles over land ownership and a section 106 agreement – where the developer must provide money to compensate the city of Preston for the development – had held up the proposal. Improvements to the local road network is an example of where the money paid by developers would go to.

Planning officers have drawn up a new section 106 agreement which limits former land owners Countryside Properties liabilities – and allows the scheme to progress.

The planning application is recommended for approval by the city council officers who state: “The proposed development would deliver a comprehensive
mixed use scheme on a previously developed site and would make a significant contribution to the regeneration of this deprived area of the City Centre.
“The layout of the buildings and public realm has been designed to a high standard and the building would achieve high energy efficiency standards.

“It has been demonstrated that the proposals cannot be accommodated on any sequentially preferable sites and would not lead to an adverse impact upon the vitality and viability of the city centre in accordance with the requirements of the Framework.

“The proposals would generate an increase in vehicular traffic in the area, but the proposed highway improvements would satisfactorily manage the anticipated impact to an acceptable level.”

The land behind Cotton Court would be developed into new retail units

The full plans can be seen on the Preston city council website and it goes to the planning committee for a decision on Monday 30 June from 10am at the Town Hall.

What do you think of the proposals? Let us know in the comments below