Our first #InTheCity event of 2026 brought Preston Partnership members and guests together at OneCoWork. We welcomed over 80 business and civic leaders, entrepreneurs and their teams to explore Preston’s residential sector. 

Preston Partnership Update 

Chair of Preston Partnership John Chesworth provided an update on activity, including Preston’s response to the consultation on Local Government Reorganisation; the Partnership’s new free membership; and sponsorship of the first Proud Preston Awards. 

Housing Delivery in Preston 

Director of Development and Housing for Preston City Council, Chris Hayward opened his presentation with a quote from housebuilding lobby group Britain Remade: 

Relative to its housing targets, Preston built more housing than anywhere else in England from 2021 to 2024. Since local housing targets were introduced in 2018, Preston has exceeded its target by a substantial margin every year.

Chris’ point? That there are lessons that other cities can learn from Preston.

Chris explored in more detail the reasons for this growth, particularly the Preston, South Ribble and Lancashire City Deal which provided essential infrastructure to support the scale of housing growth in North-West Preston as well as the role of the Central Lancashire Local Plan, and cultural change in the Council and on the Planning Committee. 

Chris went on to talk about Making Homes from Houses Project working with Gateway Housing Association to bring empty homes back to life. 

Chris highlighted the work of Preston’s City Living Strategy in promoting residential opportunities in the City Centre.

Panel Discussion 

Following his presentation, Chris joined our panel to broaden out the discussion on residential activity in the city.

• John Heaton, Managing Director for the Heaton Group – a specialist property company with a portfolio and pipeline of residential and commercial developments throughout the North West. John talked about their pioneering residential developers in Preston City Centre, including the exciting plans for the Park Hotel. 
• Stuart Sage, Founder and Director of Hive Land and Planning, an award-winning planning and surveying practice. Stuart talked about the work they are doing with Preston City Council, Homes England and developers to deliver the City Centre Living Strategy (put link here) 
• Claire Lowe, Head of Space and Property Management at University of Lancashire, which has over 30,000 students and academics at it’s Preston Campus. Claire talked about the importance of culture and events to attract and retain students and staff.  
• Stephen Heverin, Growth and Regeneration Director for Onward Homes, one of the largest registered providers of social housing in the North West Stephen talked about the renewal of their estate in and around Stoneygate, a key regeneration priority for the City.

Closing Remarks 

Following audience questions the panel were asked 

what is the one change you would make tomorrow to turn Preston in to the North’s most desirable postcode?

Answers included: making sure that the City has a multi-purpose venue for cultural and business events; strengthening collaboration between the public and private sector; targeted funding to help deliver priority housing sites; new office space to attract well paid job opportunities; and focussed support from government agencies including Homes England. 

We are pleased to announce that the Preston Partnership Board has secured funding from Preston City Council that will enable the Partnership to continue to fulfill its important role in the city. 

This funding also means that the Partnership can move into its next, subscription-free phase, allowing local entrepreneurs, businesses and organisations to join Preston Partnership and attend our quarterly events free of charge.

There will also be opportunity for collaborations and one-off sponsored events to complement our regular activity.

Leader of Preston City Council, Councillor Matthew Brown said,

“We are pleased that we have a bit of a larger budget to play with this year and therefore able to support some ongoing key projects that were previously funded by UK government, of which the Preston Partnership is one. The Preston Partnership is integral to collaborative working between the public and private sectors in the city’s regeneration journey and is a strong voice representing the business community in the city, in its strategic role as a partner on the Preston Regeneration Board, the first of its kind in Lancashire.”

Chair of Preston Partnership, John Chesworth said,

“This is great news for the Partnership and its members.  We are really pleased to have two of Preston’s anchor institutions, the BID and the City Council, behind us as we move forward into a new way of operating.

Members can still expect to see high quality quarterly events and know that we will continue to work alongside public sector bodies to unlock investment and other opportunities. Preston Partnership has a very important role to play in Preston, more now than ever with local government reorganisation (LGR) on the horizon, and this funding secures our place in the landscape.”

Interested in becoming a member of Preston Partnership? Request to join now.

Last week we were proud to be sponsors of the first ever Proud Preston Awards, celebrating Prestonians who are doing extraordinary things for their communities. 

The awards ceremony,

held at Barton Manor Hotel, saw more than 200 people come together, representing Preston’s communities, charities and businesses, with special guest Councillor Sue Whittam, Mayor of Preston. 

“Just by being in this room, you’re a winner – all of you,” Mayor of Preston, Councillor Sue Whittam.

Hosted by John Gillmore and Neetal Parekh, the event was a true celebration of all things Proud Preston – with winners having the opportunity to share their personal stories and thanking their wider support networks and communities for all of the hard work that happens behind the scenes. 

The award categories recognised outstanding achievements from across the community and business sectors in Preston:

• Volunteer of the Year
• Carer of the Year
• Arts and Culture Hero of the Year
• Charity Hero of the Year
• Inspirational Young Leader
• Community Initiative of the Year
• Business in the Community Award
• Inclusive Leadership Award
• Environmental Hero of the Year
• Active Inspiration Award
• Education Award
• Lifetime Hero
• Proud Preston Award

On the night, Board Member and Director, Alban Cassidy represented Preston Partnership to present the Community Initiative of the Year award to winners Bounce Back Netball. Bounce Back Netball engages more than 800 women in accessible netball, promoting well-being and community. 

“We [Bounce Back Netball] began after Covid when we realised women in Preston were not getting the sporting opportunities and physical and mental health was suffering. Netball is a platform, a community and it’s all about empowering women and creating equality.”

Editor-in-chief for Iconic Media in the North West, Nicola Adam set the tone for the night perfectly when she said, “Like so many of you I live in, work and care very much about Preston…In a world where it is easy to be selfish or complacent, you have risen your head above the parapet and deserve to be celebrated.”

The awards were a collaboration between Preston City Council, Lancashire Post, Central Radio and Blog Preston, with a wide range of business sponsors (including Preston Partnership). 

You can see the full list of winners on Blog Preston

Preston Partnership has joined business and community leaders from across the city to support Blog Preston’s campaign for Preston Guild Hall.

On behalf of the Partnership, Chair John Chesworth has written a letter to the Rt Hon Lisa Nandy, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to ask for her support in securing the future for Preston Guild Hall – whether that is a rebuild or relocation.

The letter, which follows, outlines the need for a fit-for-purpose venue that meets not only cultural and community requirements, but also provides a much-needed space for conferences and business events.

You can sign the online petition to add your support for this campaign.

2026 has had a busy start behind the scenes for Preston Partnership. We have been working alongside our strategic partners to navigate the Partnership into its next phase, progress our shared ambition of helping Preston realise its potential, and amplify the positive stories about Preston to audiences far and wide.

I am really pleased to share that Preston Partnership has secured funding, from Preston Business Improvement District and Preston City Council to enable us to evolve to our next phase of operations. What this funding means is that we can move away from subscription-based membership (making membership and our quarterly events free of charge), and re-focus our energy on working toward our core aims:

• Build an ambitious partnership
• Shape Preston’s future
• Tell Preston’s story

We are extremely grateful to both Preston Business Improvement District and Preston City Council for their generous support that will enable us to facilitate the Partnership and quarterly programme in the most effective way.

I would also like to draw your attention to the current Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) consultation. You may recall that the Partnership formally threw our support behind proposals to create a new unitary authority  for Preston, Chorley, South Ribble and West Lancashire. Now it is your turn to have your say. You can view all of the proposals and give your responses on the dedicated LGR website for Lancashire.

Finally, I am thrilled to announce that Preston Partnership is a sponsor for the Proud Preston Awards, a celebration of the people, organisations and initiatives that make this city such a vibrant and inspiring place to live and work. Congratulations to all of the finalists who were announced earlier this week, it is great to see so many worthy nominations across the wide variety of categories.

Join us for our first quarterly panel event for 2026: Preston Residential.

Date: 26 March

Time: 8am – 10am

Place: OneCoWork – 33-34 Winckley Square, Preston PR1 3JJ.

Our guest speaker, Chris Hayward, and our panel will be explore topics such as:

• How Preston’s residential offer is growing.
• The ingredients for successful City Living.
• Emerging plans for Stoneygate.

While you’re there, you’ll have the opportunity to network over hot drinks and breakfast foods with a room full of professionals, including business and public sector leaders. 

As always, this event will be a great chance to keep up to date with what is happening in Preston.

Space is limited, so book your free ticket now.

About Chris Hayward, Director of Development and Housing, Preston City Council.

Chris has worked in local government for several Lancashire authorities for over 37 years. He has overseen the growth and regeneration of Preston over the last 15 years, including the City Deal, a £450m programme of infrastructure investment creating 20,000 new jobs and 17,000 new homes. 

His planning background has ensured the development is plan-led, supporting the Council’s ambitious growth proposals. He is currently managing the delivery of over £200m of investment in the Harris Quarter in the city centre, including Preston’s new leisure offer and council-owned Animate.

Regeneration and tackling deprivation are at the heart of everything Preston City Council seeks to do, and in 2021 Chris and his planning and regeneration team were successful in helping the Council win the National RTPI Award for its City Living Strategy, the first NW winner.

Meet the panel:

Stuart Sage: Co-founder and Director of Hive Land & Planning, an award-winning planning and surveying practice. Stuart is a town planner with over 25 year’s experience in the public and private sector, with a track record of delivery. 

Claire Lowe: Head of Space & Property Management (interim) at The University of Lancashire. 

John Heaton: UK Property Investment Specialist and Owner of the Heaton Group, a specialist property development company with a substantial portfolio of commercial and residential property throughout the North West.

Stephen Heverin: Director of Growth & Regeneration at Onward Homes.

Make sure you save the date for our upcoming events:

• 25 June
• 24 September
• 26 November

About Preston Partnership

Preston Partnership is a private sector led membership organisation. We bring together businesses and the public sector to help make Preston a prosperous city to live, work, visit and invest in.

Find out more and become a member: www.prestonpartnership.org

While on-site activity paused over the winter break, the iconic Tram Bridge project has continued to move forward at pace behind the scenes.

Off-site construction of the new bridge is well underway, and key design decisions have now been made, including the final colour palette for the bridge and its decking.

The steelwork will feature a bold Black Grey, chosen for its sleek, contemporary look and ability to complement the natural surroundings. This will be paired with a Light Buff Brown Polydeck finish for the bridge decking, offering both durability and a warm, inviting appearance underfoot.

These carefully selected colours reflect the bridge’s modern engineering while nodding to the heritage and landscape of Avenham Park, ensuring the new Tram Bridge will be as visually striking as it is functional.

The replacement of the Bridge, announced in Spring 2024, is being delivered by Preston City Council using part of its £20 million grant awarded by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), with an additional £1 million from Lancashire County Council.

The bridge project is being delivered by contractor Eric Wright Civil Engineering and since construction resumed in spring, visible changes can already be seen along the River Ribble, including the completion of the land-based piers, modification of the abutments, and preparation for the second in-river pier. Meanwhile, off-site fabrication of the bridge is progressing in preparation for its scheduled installation and lift in Autumn 2025.

Councillor Valerie Wise, Cabinet Member for Community Wealth Building at Preston City Council said:

“I’m delighted at the progress of this historic project. The newly released imagery and designs are really bringing it to life and, I hope, will generate excitement across the city.

“I want to thank everyone involved for their commitment and dedication to delivering a bridge that can be used and enjoyed for generations to come.

“I encourage everyone to visit the Pavilion Café, take a look at the exhibition, and see the progress for themselves.”

County Councillor Warren Goldsworthy, cabinet member for Highways and Transport, Lancashire County Council, said:

“It’s fantastic to see the Preston Tram Bridge project making such strong progress. This isn’t just about rebuilding a bridge – it’s about reconnecting communities, opening up greener travel, and giving people a healthier, more active way to move between South Ribble and Preston.

“I’d like to thank residents for their patience while work continues, your support is helping deliver a lasting improvement for the whole area.”

Antony Mulligan, Contracts Manager at Eric Wright Civil Engineering commented:

“We are delighted to be moving forward with the replacement of the historic Tram Bridge for our clients, Preston City Council and Lancashire County Council.

“The project continues to move at pace with us already completing the first in river pier and the two land abutments. We are currently constructing the second, and final, in river pier which will see us complete the substructure. The steel superstructure of the bridge is currently being fabricated off site ready to be installed later this year.”

Preston’s iconic cultural landmark is set to welcome up to half a million visitors each year following a £19 million major restoration.

Made possible with funding from Preston City Council, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the UK Government’s Towns Fund, Lancashire County Council and many other generous partners.

The Harris will officially reopen its doors to the public on Sunday, 28 September 2025 following a once-in-a-generation restoration as part of the Harris Your Place project. The transformation reimagines The Harris as a dynamic and inclusive cultural hub for the 21st century, blending art, history, community, and a refreshed library service to deliver an exciting new visitor experience.

Located in the heart of Preston, The Harris will relaunch with an impressive exhibition programme, learning spaces, family-friendly facilities, a new café and shop, and new heritage tours that celebrate its architectural and civic legacy. The reopening will mark a new chapter for one of the UK’s leading regional museums, libraries and galleries.

Councillor Anna Hindle, cabinet member for culture and arts at Preston City Council, said: “The reopening of The Harris marks a proud and exciting moment for the city of Preston.

“This incredible transformation will not only safeguard our heritage but also create a vibrant, inclusive space that inspires creativity, learning and connection for generations to come. We’re immensely grateful to all our funding partners and can’t wait to welcome residents and visitors alike back through the doors of this much-loved building.

“The Harris Your Place project has been made possible thanks to the generous support of key partners. We gratefully acknowledge Preston City Council, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, UK Government’s Towns Fund, Lancashire County Council and Arts Council England. Their vital contributions have helped preserve The Harris for future generations while strengthening access, learning and community engagement.”

John Chesworth, chair of Preston’s Towns Fund Board, added: “This much-anticipated and eagerly awaited new era for The Harris represents a major element of the ongoing regeneration and rejuvenation of Preston, alongside other landmark schemes such as the transformation of Amounderness House into managed workspace and the £45m flagship Animate entertainment and leisure destination, delivering economic growth and opportunities for all in a truly revitalised city centre.”

Closed since 2021, essential works have included the safe removal of asbestos from the roof, comprehensive repairs to preserve the building’s historic structure, and vital improvements to heating, lighting, and accessibility throughout the building. When it reopens, visitors can expect a fully reimagined experience, with new galleries, and community facilities.

Following the refurbishment of The Harris, annual visitors are expected to increase by approximately 100,000 on top of the existing 350,000 (in 2021).

Additionally, The Harris is unveiling a fresh new look including a redesigned logo, brand identity, and new website. The modernised branding aligns with the aims of the Harris Your Place project: inspired by community input and honouring the building’s heritage while looking confidently to the future.

More details about the reopening events, exhibitions and public programming will be announced in the coming weeks. For more information, visit The Harris website: www.theharris.org.uk.

Phase one of the Illuminate and Integrate scheme, a key project in the transformation of the Harris Quarter has been completed, with work on Phase two of the project due to start late autumn.

The project has been designed to improve pedestrian and cycle space at a section of Lancaster Road adjacent to the Market Hall and Old Vicarage Road.

The work includes a new pedestrian and cycle-friendly space with high-quality paving, trees, and other features, such as public seating and an expanded, flexible-use space around the market to create opportunities for alfresco dining.

A key feature of the works on Old Vicarage is the installation of ‘Gobo’ lighting which projects moving images onto the pavements, lighting the way to Preston Market but also ‘animating’ the journey from the bus station to Animate, the new £45m+ entertainment and leisure complex due to open to the public in February 2025.

In October, planning permission was granted for the Illuminate element of the scheme with improved lighting consisting of new and replacement columns, wall, canopy lights, and a mixture of heritage and modern lighting.

Illuminate has also been designed to minimise energy usage, improve the quality of street lighting and make streets feel safer. The lighting improvements extend to additional streets Birley, Earl, Cheapside, and Market Street.

Phase two of the works will focus on Lancaster Road. The public realm works will maintain the existing service and taxi provision, while Lancaster Road between Old Vicarage and Earl Street will be permanently closed to vehicles.

This scheme is being delivered by Maple Grove Developments and Eric Wright Civil Engineering on behalf of Preston City Council, under the Harris Quarter Towns Fund Investment Programme with funding from Towns Fund, Preston City Council and Lancashire County Council.

Preston City Council Cabinet Member for Community Wealth Building, Councillor Valerie Wise, said: “The proposed works are focused on improving the quality of the public spaces and creating safer and better paths between existing spaces and transport hubs such as the bus station. The aim is to encourage footfall and visitors to stay longer into the evening, supporting the Harris Quarter ‘as a go-to cultural destination in the city.’

John Chesworth, Chair of Preston Towns Fund Strategic Board, added: “While it may only be a small part of the overall jigsaw, lighting fundamentally impacts place-making. Quite literally, Illuminate will showcase Preston’s fine architecture, promoting the areas of the Harris Quarter while creating an attractive but dynamic lighting scene and encouraging footfall to this area of Preston.”

Nick Hague, project director at Maple Grove Developments, continued: “The scheme has been designed to sympathetically create a contemporary feel to the area without dismissing the heritage of the Harris Quarter. It’ll promote safety and assurance while helping to create a positive ambience.”

Lancashire County Council Cabinet member for economic development and growth, Brian Moore, said “We’re investing £800k in the city centre and encouraging sustainable transport by improving the links between the bus station and new transformational developments taking place in the Harris Quarter, which gives more options for people to walk and cycle. Making Preston a more attractive place to live and visit helps create new jobs, grow the night-time economy, and create a more vibrant city centre.

“Alongside the recent improvement work on Ringway and Friargate delivered by the county council, we’re working closely in partnership to improve the wider city centre and provide people with more options for getting around.”

Towns Fund – Town Deals

The Towns Fund is working directly with places and putting power in the hands of local businesses and communities to unleash the economic potential of towns and high streets across England. The government wants to see vibrant towns that are more attractive places to live, work and visit; and to increase opportunity across the country so that everyone (wherever they live) can contribute to and benefit from economic growth. Preston 35 is the city’s renewed city investment plan, setting out Preston’s long-term objectives and strategy to transform the City, targeting resources and aligning public and private sector investments to respond to needs and capitalise on opportunities for positive change.

Preston City Council actively applies and prioritises the principles of Community Wealth Building wherever applicable and appropriate. Community Wealth Building is an approach which aims to ensure the economic system builds wealth and prosperity for everyone. For more information, see community wealth building.

Projects included in Preston’s £200 million Harris Quarter Towns Fund Investment Programme are:

• Animate – £45m multi-use entertainment and leisure complex anchored by a state-of-the-art cinema and bowling venue next to Preston Markets
• Educate Preston – The creation of a new Careers and Employment, Information, Advice and Guidance Hub in the Harris Quarter.
• Renewal of Harris Quarter Assets – Investment to support the redevelopment of publicly-owned buildings in the Harris Quarter to support new cultural and community uses, including Amounderness House.
• Illuminate and Integrate – A project to deliver improved pedestrian and cycleway infrastructure, street lighting and other public realm improvements within the Harris Quarter.
• Preston Youth Zone – The development of Preston Youth Zone as a state-of-the-art facility for young people in Preston aged eight to 19.
• #HarrisYourPlace – The refurbishment of the Grade I listed Harris Museum, Art Gallery & Library, enhancing and protecting the building for future generations.
• Preston Pop Ups – £1m pop-up programme of events bringing together new temporary event space, artworks and improvements to public realm infrastructure, aimed at boosting visitor activity in the Harris Quarter.

The Lancashire Economic Growth and Development Investment Fund (LEGDIF) is a strategic initiative led by Lancashire County Council aimed at fostering economic growth and development within Lancashire. By merging the remaining funds from the Lancashire Economic Recovery & Growth Fund (LERG) and the Lancashire Levelling Up Investment Fund (LLUIF), LEGDIF builds on this success and seeks to support key sectors, including emerging opportunities like cybersecurity.

The City Deal agreement aims to continue to create new private sector jobs and encourage more new homes to be built across the area. It is an agreement between Preston City Council, South Ribble Borough Council and Lancashire County Council, along with central government and Homes England.

For more details visit Invest – illuminate and integrate.

A Grade II listed former magistrates court is set to become a high-quality flexible workspace in Preston city centre.

Updated plans for the c.£9m transformation of Preston’s historic Amounderness House into modern flexible workspace have been approved.

The amended proposals follow changes to the original design of planned new build elements and facades in the rear courtyard of the Grade II listed property.

With planning consent already granted, the updated plans by FWP Architects and submitted by S&L Planning Consultants on behalf of Preston City Council proposed changes to the rear elevation while still creating 26 offices and studios plus meeting and event space to be operated by Preston-based bespoke office space provider Wrkspace.

The rear elevation changes were designed to be sympathetic with the existing building, with complementary materials and sustainability factors considered while achieving cost efficiencies.

The revised plans incorporate the existing courtyard, which is being improved for public use. The building’s physical and historical architecture will continue to be sensitively preserved as part of the overall refurbishment.

Maple Grove Developments, the development arm of Preston-based Eric Wright Group, is working with Preston City Council to deliver the transformation of Amounderness House, built in 1857 as a police station before becoming a magistrates court.

As no objections to the amended proposals were received, the Council granted consent and work will start on site this summer.

John Chesworth, Preston Partnership chair, said: “The much-anticipated rejuvenation of Amounderness House will transform an outstanding and historic property, further boosting economic activity in central Preston by providing state-of-the-art flexible workspace for ambitious businesses.”

Rizwan Seth, Preston Partnership board member and managing director of Wrkspace, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be part of the newly approved Amounderness House development in the heart of Preston city centre.

“Working alongside Maple Grove Developments and Preston City Council on this landmark project reflects our shared commitment to revitalising city centre spaces.

“The addition of Amounderness House to our successful network of Wrkspace business centres across Lancashire represents an exciting opportunity to support Preston’s growing business community with flexible, high-quality workspace.”

Chris Hayward, Preston City Council’s director of development and housing, added: “Breathing new life into Amounderness House will play a key role in our ongoing drive to support the growth of innovative local businesses by providing them with an inspiring and dynamic city centre hub.”

Nik Puttnam, senior development manager at Maple Grove Developments (MGD), explained: “MGD are delighted to be involved in the Amounderness House project. The restoration and refurbishment of this key part of Preston’s heritage into high quality managed workspace, will complement the wider regeneration of the Harris Quarter. Further, the delivery of this new managed workspace will support the economic growth of the city centre and opportunities for new local businesses.”

Amounderness House is one of six major projects under Preston’s Harris Quarter Towns Fund Investment Programme, for which the City was awarded £20.9m from the Government’s Towns Fund in March 2021.

Harris Quarter is a unique area of Preston undergoing a £200m investment programme to transform its historic buildings, sites and public realm into a diverse culture, leisure and employment offering, with Amounderness House located beside the recently opened £45m+ Animate cinema and leisure destination.

Preston-based S&L Planning Consultants submitted the updated application on behalf of Preston City Council, with the wider project team on Amounderness House being Cowburn-Watson Box, SCP Transport, Eden Heritage, E3P, TRP Consulting, and Graham Schofield Associates.

News courtesy of Preston City Council.