The announcement that Grosvenor Developments have abandoned the city centre regeneration scheme, the Tithebarn project, may come to be seen as a blessing in the longer term.
Grosvenor’s decision comes following objections from neighbouring local authorities that has led to the planning application being ‘called in’ for a Public Inquiry.
For over a decade now, this proposed £700 million plus initiative has been hanging around, and preventing any other potential improvement schemes from going ahead.
That the Council have said that they will plough on regardless with its other partner, Lend Lease, who to my knowledge have no experience or expertise in major retail development, is understandable, but not very practical.
An £800,000 investment will be required to fight the Public Inquiry that will take place should Preston City Council decide to take that course of action, and with Grosvenor’s departure from the team, its case is weaker than it would have been. The question needs to be asked – would that £800,000 be better spent on coming up with a new blueprint for Preston?
Certainly, Downtown and some of our leading members are keen to work with Preston Vision in coming up with a ‘Plan B’ – hopefully proposals that can developed and delivered and delivered quickly.
All that being said, Grosvenor has not covered itself in glory here. Preston has every right to feel let down and betrayed by a developer that has been given virtual carte blanche as far as city centre development is concerned. Jim Carr and his team must feel bitterly disappointed to lose a partner that they have done so much for.
FOOTBALL MUSEUM CAN STILL BE SAVED
Thanks to the intervention of Lancashire County Council, UCLan and Preston City Council, the chances of the National Football Museum remaining in Preston have significantly improved.
These three major players have come up with a £3 million plus package that would improve the existing Deepdale facility and offer a more attractive range of services to visitors. It certainly gives the Trustees a choice between staying in Preston or moving to Manchester.