Aerial view of the proposed building

Rising from the Adelphi roundabout a major new building for Preston looks set for the go ahead.

The University of Central Lancashire’s new £30m engineering building would take shape on the current Foster building car park.

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Towering above Corporation Street and overlooking what will be the new Adelphi Square up to 650 students could be taught at one time within the five storey building.

The Engineering Innovation Centre is the first part of the £200m campus masterplan redevelopment to be submitted by the university.

Preston City Council’s planning committee is to be asked to approve the plan for the building.

Related: Behind the scenes as Friargate Court development continues

Planning officers write in their recommendation for approval: “The proposed location of the building is within the existing University campus and the principle of the development is considered to be acceptable.

“It is considered that the proposed building would be of high quality design and achieve a high level of sustainability in terms of energy efficiency. The development is
also considered to improve the local highway network and pedestrian safety, and would provide sufficient levels of parking on another appropriate location within the University campus.

“The public realm works surrounding the building are also considered to be of good quality and represent an improvement to the public realm, and good use of space, in comparison to the existing situation at the site. The proposal is the first phase in a wider masterplan and the masterplan proposals would contain linkages and connectivity between this development and the wider masterplan.”

How the EIC may look

The university’s school of engineering dean Rob Wallace said at the time of the application being submitted: “UCLan aims to close the skills gap by inspiring and shaping the next generation of engineering leaders, producing an extra 500 locally trained graduates a year and increasing the number of young people and, in particular, the proportion of females who choose to take up engineering at a local university.”

Related: See the university’s £200m campus masterplan for Preston

No objections to the building have been received.

Councillors are due to meet on Thursday 9 June from 1.30pm on Thursday to discuss the plans.

What do you think of the engineering centre? Do you live in the area? Do you study at UCLan? Let us know in the comments below