Preston Bus Station under threat along with the Market Hall
On Monday 17th December 2012 Preston Council will have what may be their biggest day for a long time. Transforming the face of Preston for 100 years. Here is the list of demolitions taken from the Preston Council website, sounds easy if you look at it quickly:
‘It is recommended that Cabinet agrees:
2.1 The closure and demolition of the Market Hall, Car Park and Lancastria House;
2.2 The relocation of the Markets Operation: The design, location and scale of the replacement will be determined by the business case including sustainability, current traders’ requirements, funds, and heritage considerations. (A key objective is to preserve the character of the Market Canopies);
2.3 To instruct the Corporate Management Team to bring forward proposals for redevelopment of the Markets Quarter including refurbishment of the Market Canopies;
2.4 In principle, to demolish the Bus Station and Car Park and devise proposals to bring forward the site for development;
2.5 Delegate to the Corporate Management Team the authority to negotiate with the County Council a development scheme for the Bus Station and Car Park site.’
Knock down the Market Hall, yes please!
Refurbish the market canopies, yes please!
Knock down the Market Car Park, indifferent.
Knock down Lancastria House, the old Co-op, an attractive and worthy building. No!
Knock down the bus station, surely not!
The report, quite rightly, is is a long read. It sounds like the council is in trouble with its buildings, but I could list a few dozen repairs needed to our house but it will manage without. The council are trying to protect services.
Without reading it in full it is hoped the council isn’t making decisions that in the long term will be regretted, in particular the bus station and Lancastria House. Services are here today and gone tomorrow but buildings create a visible long term character.
Two buildings were erected that always seemed badly positioned: these are the Market Hall and the Guild Hall. That the bus station is on an island has never been popular, although it potentially has a modern airport feel inside. These are interesting times.
Read the full Council report on the Preston Council website: downloads a pdf. There is a lot of information here.