The debate surrounding the allocation of affordable housing for one of Preston’s tallest apartment blocks has been resolved.
Preston City Council will receive over £600,000 from the developer of the 19-storey tower planned for the university quarter. This funding will be used to support affordable housing initiatives elsewhere in Preston, as the tower itself will not include affordable housing units.
The building, consisting of 120 flats, will be constructed on the former gas training center site at the junction of Walker Street and Moor Lane. Originally proposed as a build-to-rent development, the project evolved to offer all flats for sale. Portergate Developments successfully argued against stringent planning quotas, citing financial viability concerns.
Despite complex negotiations, a deal was reached, with the developer agreeing to contribute £604,531 towards affordable housing. This contribution ensures progress for the development, providing quality apartments while supporting Preston’s housing needs.
Anthony Jackson, Chairman of Portergate Developments (Preston) Ltd, expressed pride in the project’s approval, emphasizing its role in enhancing Preston’s urban landscape and meeting housing demands: “We are extremely proud and excited to finally get planning permission for our major development on Moor Lane. It has taken us seven years of hard work and negotiation to get it through planning but now we have the opportunity to create something very special in Preston. “As part of this we will make a payment of £600,000 towards providing affordable housing for the city. We look forward to seeing it spent wisely and hope that is used to really make a difference to the social housing needs in the city. “We are looking forward to creating quality apartments in the heart of Preston’s growing university quarter and are excited to be able to help the city grow in its ambitions to cement it’s place as the North West’s third city. “When we first built Friargate Court we wanted it to be the very best student accommodation in Preston, and we achieved that. We have similar ambitions for Moor Lane and want to be able to provide the city with superior apartments providing a high quality of accommodation for professionals, something which we feel that the city has been lacking in.”