Plans for new Preston Bus depot to be considered

Aerial view of Preston Bus depot with outline of buildings to be demolished Pic: Paul Gaughan Building Consultants

Plans to build a new Preston Bus depot and workshops following partial demolition of the site on Deepdale Road have been updated and are up for discussion this week.

A meeting will be held before the Planning Committee on Thursday 1 December, to discuss the proposal which could generate an additional 28 jobs in a Preston urban area.

No objections to the planning application were raised and no public comments were received in the consultation response.

Preston Bus Depot on Deepdale Road. Pic: Google Maps

A report by Preston City Council includes details of proposed access to and within the site as well as the provision of car parking spaces.

The report reveals that 14 of the 28 new members of staff could drive to work, based on existing travel movements to / from the site.

Access to the site will be taken via the existing access on to Deepdale Road, which will include provision for a pedestrian refuge contributing towards pedestrian safety as requested by County Highways.

The internal access arrangement of the site will allow for simultaneous two-way vehicle movement next to Deepdale Road although a one-way system will be in place around the proposed new bus depot and workshop area.

Buses and vehicles will route around the building, utilising the 4m wide emergency access route past the driver’s entrance.

The application proposes 128 parking spaces for buses, which are located in two areas, one north of the internal access road and one to the south of the proposed building between the retained workshop and retained offices on the site frontage.

When it comes to vehicle parking, the plan is to create two car parking areas.

This includes a small car park to the front of the building and a large car park to the north of the site, with 60 car parking spaces for staff and 19 car parking spaces at the main entrance for visitors and management.

In addition, when buses are out on routes, the bus parking area will double up as overflow parking for staff, providing an additional 40 spaces. The vehicle parking within the site will be managed by car park marshals.

Further parking for staff and visitors can be achieved via the parking area located to the south of the new bus depot and workshop building when buses are out on their routes.

This area will become available through the demolition of existing buildings on-site.

A separate cycle store and cycle shelter will be provided for both visitors and staff. This will provide staff and visitors with an alternative travel option to/from the site.

The proposed landscaping includes the planting of six trees along the vehicular entrance to the site and shrub planting along the front of the site on Deepdale Road, and along the site entrance leading towards the proposed car parking areas.

The report concluded ‘the proposal would not have an adverse impact on highway safety and would provide sufficient parking and turning areas within the site’.