Portergate’s neighbour in Preston, the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), has completed the first major part of its £200 million masterplan to improve the connection between the campus and the city.
The demolition of the Fylde Building, on the Adelphi roundabout next to Portergate’s own £18 million regeneration project, has been completed, marking the first visible implementation of the University’s 10-year masterplan.
According to the University press office, with Fylde Building gone, UCLan’s Masterplan team is now in the process of creating a temporary green space, which will be available for public use, before work starts on the new community square in mid-2017.
Portergate’s 1.5 acre Friargate site will bring three new retail premises and the creation of a 244 bedroomed building aimed at providing Portergate’s brand of hotel-style accommodation to students at UCLan.
Part of that high-quality accommodation on offer is also aimed at post graduate students at the university and apprentices and key workers in Preston’s high-tech manufacturing sector and new Enterprise Zone. The development is scheduled for completion in 2016.
The demolition of Fylde Building took three months to complete with contractors removing 60,000 tonnes of rubble. The surface area which was originally occupied by the Fylde Building will be turfed during early spring, ready for public use by mid-April 2016.
UCLan’s Interim Vice-Chancellor Professor Mike Thomas said: “The demolition of Fylde Building was a key aspect of our 10-year plan and marks the start of a transformative process that will benefit UCLan, the City and the communities and people of Preston.
“It really is an exciting point in the Masterplan project and with Fylde Building gone we are seeing a glimpse of what the area will look like in the future.
“Once the landscaping works are completed we hope people in Preston will join us in making imaginative use of this space before the next phase of work starts with the creation of the impressive new square.”
Time lapse footage of the demolition can be seen here.
Anthony Jackson, chairman of Portergate, says: “We are pleased to see UCLan’s 10-year vision moving ahead and residents at Friargate Court, who will be moving in from September 2016, will be able to utilise the green space being created near to their front door.
“Since we began the process of regenerating this area of Friargate, it is good for Preston that we have been joined by another major player in redeveloping this historic quarter.
“There is much more work needed to be done and Portergate is going to continue to play its part, investing time and resources and working with all parties including the University and Preston Council to bring all our experience and expertise of large scale urban regeneration of Preston for the improvement of the city.”
