New milestone for £10m Amounderness House project

The transformation of Amounderness House in Preston is gathering pace, with the refurbishment works well under way including the installation of the mezzanine deck which marks a major milestone in the £10m project.

Preston City Council is delivering the ambitious scheme to transform the historic building. Built in 1857 as a police station, it later became a magistrates’ court.

The council is working with Maple Grove Developments (MGD) to deliver the scheme and has appointed Preston based Eric Wright Construction to carry out the works. The design work has been carried out by Preston headquartered FWP.

When complete in summer 2027, the Grade II listed building will offer high quality, flexible workspace comprising 26 offices, four studios, and dedicated meeting and event space. The facility will be operated by Preston-based bespoke workspace provider Wrkspace.

Key features of the building are being retained and carefully restored, including the former prison cells and their cell doors, together with much of the original bare brickwork.

Councillor Valerie Wise, deputy leader and cabinet member for community wealth building at Preston City Council, said: “It is fantastic to see the progress being made on the transformation of Amounderness House.

“The installation of the mezzanine deck is an important milestone, which complements the character of this historic building. I am equally committed to protecting the features that make Amounderness House so distinctive, including the former prison cells, its original cell doors, windows and brickwork.

“By combining sensitive restoration with high-quality modern facilities, the project will bring this important Grade II listed building back into use for many years to come.”

Nick Hague, project director at Maple Grove Development, said: “It’s great to be at Amounderness House and see the works continuing to progress at pace.

“Eric Wright Construction has made excellent progress over recent months, successfully navigating a number of unforeseen challenges that have arisen during the restoration of this historic listed building, which has been vacant for over 30 years.

“With the introduction of the new mezzanine floor, the new office space is really taking shape and I'm excited to see it continue over the coming months.”

Amounderness House is one of six major projects under Preston's Harris Quarter Towns Fund Investment Programme, for which the city was awarded £20.9m from the Government's Towns Fund in March 2021.

Harris Quarter is a unique area of Preston undergoing a £200m investment programme to transform its historic buildings, sites and public realm into a vibrant destination for culture, leisure and employment, including the renovation of the Harris Museum and Gallery, the Animate cinema and leisure complex and the Vault Youth Zone.