Preston Tithebarn redevelopment

The Preston Tithebarn redevelopment project is a £700 million city centre regeneration initiative, to be developed by Preston Tithebarn Partnership, a 50/50 joint venture between Grosvenor and Lend Lease Corporation in partnership with Preston City Council. In October 2005, Preston City Council and Preston Tithebarn Partnership signed an agreement to go ahead with the Tithebarn regeneration project as part of Council's broader plans for Preston city.

The Preston Tithebarn project covers an area of approximately 32 acres in Preston city centre and includes a John Lewis department store, a second department store, revitalised markets, restaurants, cafes, new cinemas, around 100 new shops, offices, homes, refurbished Guild Hall, a new bus station and extensive new public spaces and pedestrianised streets. [cite web|url=http://www.prestontithebarn.com/index.htm|title=Preston Tithebarn official website FAQs]

The public consultation for Preston Tithebarn began in May 2008 running until June 11 2008, and thereafter by appointment. The Preston Tithebarn Information Centre at 50-52 Lancaster Road, Preston (next to the Guild Hall) was created for the public consultation where visitors can view plans, information and a 3D model. Visitors are encouraged to have their say about the plans. [cite web|url=http://www.preston.gov.uk/GeneralL.asp?id=SX9452-A780F493&cat=1895|title=Preston Tithebarn Regeneration Plans on Show|date=May 27, 2008|author=Preston City Council|publisher=Preston City Council] .

Preston Tithebarn Partnership will make a planning application to Preston City Council in September 2008, with project construction due to start in summer 2010, and completion forecast for 2014.

In January 2007, the department store John Lewis confirmed it will anchor the development with a 230,000 sq ft department store. In 2008 they released designs for the flagship John Lewis store on their website.

In 2000, opposition to the demolition of the exisitng Preston bus station led to an application to English Heritage for listed building status (as an example of 1960s brutalist architecture). Preston Borough Council (as it then was) among others opposed the application which ultimately was unsuccessful. Putting forward the case for a smaller terminus, a report, commissioned by the council and Grosvenor, stated that "buses arriving and leaving the bus station have very low bus occupancy rates indicating that passengers alight and board elsewhere in the town centre. The bus station car park similarly suffers from the poor pedestrian linkages." [cite web |url=http://www.preston.gov.uk/Documents/General/Public%20Relations/summary.pdf |title=Preston Town Centre Analysis Précis document |accessdate=2007-01-31 |format=pdf] Listing was subsequently rejected. [cite web |url=http://groups.msn.com/TheSavePrestonBusStationCampaign/listingdecision.msnw |title=Department of Culture, Media and Sport: Minister's Decision on Central Bus Station and Car Park, Preston |accessdate=2007-01-31 |format=html |work=The Save Preston Bus Station Campaign ]

See also:
* [http://www.prestontithebarn.com/index.htm Official Preston Tithebarn website]
* [http://www.preston.gov.uk/Tithebarn/ Preston City Council's Preston Tithebarn page]
* [http://www.grosvenor.com/Portfolio/Preston.htm Grosvenor's Preston Tithebarn page]
* [http://www.bdp.co.uk/html/news/2007/BDPs_Preston_Masterplan_Moves_Ahead_185.asp Building Design Partnership (masterplan architect) Press Release]
* [http://www.johnlewis.com/Shops/DSTemplate.aspx?Id=446 John Lewis Press Release]
* [http://www.prestonlancs.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=523 Open debate about Tithebarn at Prestonlancs.com ]