Full Council approves changes to the Active Preston Programme

A decision to change the 'Active Preston' programme was approved during the full Council on Thursday 22 August 2024.

As part of the changes, plans for a proposed sports and community facility at Ashton Park and a new Mobility Hub at Preston's Bus Station have been removed from the programme. This allows for all the other schemes to go ahead within budget.

In February 2023, Preston City Council was awarded a £20million grant from the Department for Levelling Up and Communities, now known as Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).

The grant was awarded to support the implementation of The Active Preston programme which includes a series of projects aimed at creating a healthier, more liveable and sustainably connected city.

The programme focuses on improving infrastructure and the environment to facilitate walking and cycling locally, as well as enhancing and regenerating the city's major parks.

Since the budget was initially set in early 2022, rising inflation and increasing costs for both labour and materials have posed significant challenges. As a result, the plans for the new sports and community facility at Ashton Park and the Mobility Hub at Preston's Bus Station have been removed from the programme.

The removal of the Ashton Park scheme in particular allows for the redistribution of funding to cover the inflationary costs of the remaining projects. It is also in response to increasing local community concerns about the Ashton Park scheme.

Councillor Matthew Brown, Leader of Preston City Council, said:

"There has been much unpredictability about the economic landscape, and this decision will ensure that the remaining grant will add value to the other projects and still deliver on our vision of 'a more healthy, liveable and sustainably connected city'. As part of the revised proposals, we can also include a new scheme to improve cycling and pedestrianisation facilities at Orchard St. 

"Preston City Council prides itself on listening to the community and we have taken on board the community feelings on Ashton Park which fed into the changes we make to the Active Preston programme.

"I'm now looking forward to the positive difference the Active Preston programme will make to the city and to the people of Preston. As always, we will continue to provide updates and information on the remaining projects."

Despite the removal of these two projects, the rescoped Active Preston programme will ensure the high-quality delivery of the remaining projects within the available grant, subject to approval from the MHCLG.

These projects include the continued development of the new Tram Bridge, public realm improvements on Friargate South and Orchard Street, the construction of a new cycle pathways on Queens Street and Avenham Lane, and the regeneration of Moor, Waverley, and Grange Parks.

Preston's Levelling Up Fund bid - 'Active Preston'

Transforming our Community Infrastructure' will bring real quality of life, health and wellbeing benefits to its residents and have many positive impacts for communities across Preston.

Improvements include

• new cycle/footbridge over the River Ribble to replace the Old Tram Bridge (for details visit Invest Preston - design unveiled for a new Tram Bridge)
• new cycle paths and walkways making them greener and safer and more user friendly. This includes segregated routes along Queen Street and Avenham Lane
• major public realm works at Friargate South (for details visit Invest Preston - transforming Friargate South project)
• new hub to provide a secure cycling facility at Preston bus station
• Moor Park (Grade II* listed) - Heritage and public realm improvement works including lake restoration, bridge works and new phase 2 visitor facilities. The first phase was funded from Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).
• Waverley Park - a range of sports, visitor and community facilities and access improvements
• Grange Park - accessibility and lighting improvements to support the re-opening of a building to support community use

Preston City Council actively applies and prioritises the principles of Community Wealth Building wherever applicable and appropriate. Community Wealth Building is an approach which aims to ensure the economic system builds wealth and prosperity for everyone.