Sep 13 2007
Developers appointed by national regeneration agency English Partnerships have submitted fresh plans, following extensive consultation with the local community.
Taylor Wimpey was appointed by English Partnerships in March 2007 to transform the derelict 60 hectares (147 acres) Whittingham Hospital, near Preston.
The development will include new eco-friendly homes, employment space, a site for a new primary school and community/recreation facilities.
Planning permission is already in place, but following their appointment Taylor Wimpey and English Partnerships carried out further extensive consultation with local communities and stakeholders on their proposals for the site.
As a result of the feedback from these events and meetings Taylor Wimpey has drawn up a fresh outline planning application that better meets the wishes and needs of the local community.
At the events local people and groups asked for more affordable housing and for more of the site’s heritage buildings to be renovated.
The new planning application therefore proposes increasing the overall number of homes to 650 in order to raise the number of affordable homes from 50 to 72 and to preserve more of the St Luke’s building, which will be converted into apartments.
The new planning application also proposes a centrally located and accessible sports and leisure facilities, including a multi-sports area for young people.
Paul Spooner, English Partnerships Regional Director for the North West and West Midlands, said: “The public consultation showed that local people wanted to see more leisure facilities for young people and more affordable housing, so the plans have been amended to reflect their wishes.
“We will continue to work closely with local people and Taylor Wimpey to transform this long-derelict site and create a vibrant community with new leisure facilities and new job opportunities.”
Bob Pickthall, Divisional Managing Director of Taylor Wimpey, said: “Local people responded very positively to our proposals to regenerate the Whittingham Hospital site and provide high-quality and eco-friendly new homes. We will continue to work with English Partnerships and Preston City Council to secure planning permission and move towards providing a sustainable community where people will be proud to live.”
The Whittingham Hospital site, situated on the edge of Goosnargh village, is one of the largest in English Partnerships’ Hospital Sites Programme, which aims to transform 96 former NHS sites in England into sustainable communities where people can afford to live and want to live.
It is expected that Preston City Council will consider the planning application at the end of 2007 or early in 2008.