Start on site begins transformation of historic Amounderness House Preston

The £9m transformation of Preston’s historic Amounderness House into modern, flexible workspace is underway with work starting on site.

Maple Grove Developments (MGD), the development arm of Preston-based Eric Wright Group, is working with Preston City Council to transform Amounderness House, built in 1857 as a police station before becoming a magistrates court.

When complete in June 2027, the Grade II listed property will provide high quality flexible workspace with 26 offices and four studios plus meeting and event space operated by Preston-based bespoke office space provider Wrkspace.

The start on site involves an enabling works package which will ready the building for delivery of the main contract, the works will be carried out by Eric Wright Construction and involve the disconnection of services, asbestos removal and the opening up of the interior of the building.

Plans to transform Amounderness House were designed by FWP Architects and submitted by S&L Planning Consultants on behalf of Preston City Council.

Coun Valerie Wise, cabinet member for community wealth building with Preston City Council, added: “The start of work on site makes our plans to breathe new life into this treasured building a reality. We believe that Amounderness House will play a major role in supporting the growth of innovative local businesses by providing them with a tailor-made city centre hub.”

John Chesworth, chair of Preston's Towns Fund Board, said: "On completion, Amounderness House will provide essential state-of-the-art facilities to many of the exciting and progressive start-up and established small businesses that make Preston the commercial capital of Lancashire.”

Nick Hague, project director at Maple Grove Developments (MGD), said: “With our spades in the ground, MGD is proud to be part of the team bringing forward the restoration and refurbishment of this part of Preston’s history into high quality managed workspace, complementing the wider regeneration of the Harris Quarter.

“Delivery of this managed workspace will play a key role in supporting the further economic growth of central Preston with more opportunities for up-and-coming local businesses.”

Rizwan Seth, managing director of Wrkspace, said: “Working alongside Maple Grove Developments and Preston City Council on this landmark scheme reflects our shared commitment to transforming and revitalising city centre spaces.

“The much-anticipated addition of Amounderness House to our successful and established network of seven Wrkspace business centres across Lancashire represents an exciting opportunity to support Preston’s burgeoning corporate community with flexible, high-quality, bespoke workspace.”

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 diverse culture, leisure and employment offering, with Amounderness House located beside the recently opened £45m+ Animate cinema and leisure destination.

The project team on Amounderness House includes FWP Architects, Preston-based S&L Planning Consultants, which submitted the application on behalf of Preston City Council, Cowburn-Watson Box, SCP Transport, Eden Heritage, E3P, TRP Consulting, and Graham Schofield Associates.