Around £2m of the money so far spent on building Preston’s new cinema, restaurant and leisure complex has gone to companies within Central Lancashire.

The construction phase of Preston City Council’s £45.8m “Animate” project came to an end late last month – and work is now well under way on fitting out the facility ahead of its opening early next year.

According to Maple Grove Developments, which delivered the scheme with parent company Eric Wright Group, a total of £7m has been spent across Lancashire as a whole, while £27m has been paid to firms operating within a 37-mile radius of the site – an area that encompasses Manchester and Liverpool.

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The Central Lancashire spending tally to date – obtained from the city authority by the LDRS – equates to just over four percent of the overall budget.

However, cabinet member for community wealth building Valerie Wise insists that the figure is in keeping with the principles of the so-called ‘Preston Model’ – which seeks to boost local businesses by ensuring as much as public sector spending as possible is retained in the city.

“Given the nature of the project and specialist build, the development has maximised local spend where it could, as well as providing training, education and apprenticeship opportunities for local people.

“This demonstrates that the council’s community wealth building ethos is working in practice and benefits the local economy,” Cllr Wise said.

Almost 200 Central Lancashire residents have worked on the site in the near two years it has taken to complete the building, while Maple Grove research shows 44 jobs were created for people living in the area as a direct result of the project.

Meanwhile, 31 qualifications were achieved as part of 105 apprenticeship weeks worked on the scheme – with almost a dozen work experience placements also being delivered.  In addition, 30 female students completed an ‘introduction to construction’ programme, encouraging them to consider careers in the sector.

Scott Latta, social value manager at the Eric Wright Group, said of the statistics:   “We wanted to ensure that, in addition to boosting our economy, Animate would also open up opportunities for young people in our local communities to learn and get involved in the construction industry.”

Cllr Wise added:  “Community wealth building is a fair, inclusive and ethical approach to fostering sustainable economic development. In Preston, there is a strong relationship between welcoming inward investment and making sure our local communities can thrive and benefit from the opportunities that the regeneration and development of the city brings.

“It focuses on creating and sustaining local wealth, empowering communities, and ensuring that economic benefits are retained within the community rather than extracted.”

Once open, the council-owned attraction – which will feature an eight-screen cinema, Hollywood Bowl, competitive games outlet, five restaurants and a street food hub – is expected to create 300 full and part-time jobs.

Maple Grove has also revealed that just one percent of waste generated by the development of the site has gone into landfill.

Scott Latta said: “When looking at how a building will shape a place, we examine how to minimise its impact on the environment by utilising sustainable construction techniques, including establishing a local supply chain and workforce to help reduce carbon emissions.”

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