Supporting a new retirement community in a Lancashire village
Project overview
Client: Midas Land LtdLocation: Broughton, Preston
Sector: Housing
Project status: Planning approved / under construction
We provided pre-application advice and managed the planning application process for a new extra care retirement home on a former restaurant site at the Broughton crossroads, north of Preston.
What we did
Our client wanted to create a new two to three-storey retirement home on this brownfield site following the closure and demolition of a former pub and restaurant building on the site.
The local community were initially averse to the loss of the existing building as a non-designated heritage asset and the loss of the existing facility as a restaurant.
The planning authority had also expressed concerns over the original design, scale and mass of the project and it was initially refused at planning committee contrary to officer recommendation on these grounds.
Members were also concerned on the impact on neighbouring properties. A new architect was commissioned by the client, and we worked with the project team to resubmit the application.
We were able to show that any impact on neighbouring properties would be outweighed by the significant public benefits of the scheme. Working closely with the planning authority and architect, an acceptable scheme was developed and approved at planning committee.
What our client said
“PWA enjoy challenging projects and the staff are tenacious when it comes to finding a way to get the impossible done. They make the appropriate recommendations as they have the benefit of previous authority planning officers which enables them to think on both sides of the fence. Their expertise and knowledge in relation to planning policy is excellent and the network of consultants and barristers they work closely with are also very skilled.”
Yousuf Bux