£2.5m plans unveiled for loft living in the heart of Preston

Plans have been unveiled to create Preston’s first loft style apartments in a £2.5m regeneration project that will transform an empty Victorian warehouse in the heart of the city into stylish new homes.

The spacious duplex apartments will be created in a former carriage manufactory, which was built in Guildhall Street in the 1890s and was converted into a yeast warehouse in the 1920s.

The Guildhall Street warehouse development will feature just 17 two bedroom and one bedroom apartments and studios above a street level arcade of commercial space aimed at restaurant and café bar or retail use.

Detailed plans have been submitted to Preston City Council and if approved construction will begin immediately, with the homes set to go on the market early next year.

Neil Thornton, director of Etc Urban Developments, said: “Our plan is to restore this building back to its original appearance bringing an historic and important commercial building in Preston from the Victorian era back to full use in the 21st century.

“Bringing people back into the centre to live, work and play has helped to revitalise the day and night-time economies of these cities.

The building’s exterior will be refurbished to its original red brick appearance opening up the street to a new café culture ambience and bringing sought-after new homes to the heart of Preston.