An artist impression of the Maritime Way flats and a Ribble Steam Railway engine in operation

New flats on Preston’s Docks could be approved on a second time of asking.

Midland House office block could be converted to be home to 25 apartments.

Advertisements

Currently standing empty the intial plans for the building, which wanted 28 flats on the site, were knocked back by councillors in June last year.

Ribble Steam Railway have raised objections to the scheme.

They state the junction for the development is too close to the Maritime Way level crossing and could lead to safety issues.

They also say the noise assessment for the flats does not take into the account the level of rail activity at the nearbvy crossing.

Five neighbouring homeowners have all raised objections to the scheme saying at five storeys in height it would impact on the surrounding properties.

Council planning officers have recommended the outline plans for the scheme for approval, subject to a deal worth £400,000 being worked out with the developers Oceanwave Estates to finance community works and school places in the area.

Cassidy + Ashton, planning agents for the scheme, said the new plans addressed issues with flooding, noise and potential contamination of the site.

Documents submitted to the planning committee state: “Whilst objections have been received relating to the proposed development, the proposal is considered to make effective use of brownfield land within the main urban area of Preston, providing an acceptable form of residential development, respecting the existing pattern of development in the area in terms of layout and scale and would contribute to maintaining ther council’s five year supply of deliverable housing land.”

The flats are due to be discussed at Preston City Council’s planning committee on Thursday 11 February from 1.30pm at the Town Hall.

Do you live in the area? What do you think of the flats plan? Let us know in the comments below