More than £1.2million is being pumped into keeping heritage buildings just yards from Preston’s Town Hall standing – as part of a package of measures aimed at preserving the city’s heritage buildings.
Preston City Council has faced growing pressure to act over the state of heritage buildings across the city in the wake of the devastating fires which ripped through Church Street leading to the demolition of a grade-II listed building and buildings close to the former St Joseph’s Orphanage in November 2024.
A total of £1.27m has been earmarked to protect and improve the building in Lancaster Road opposite the front door of the council offices, which also houses the former Larder café and is grade-II listed.
Read more: The Old Dog Inn might not be closed for good, says new blueprint for site
Further up the street, next to Yum Yums takeaway, is the former tea bar building which is also listed and in council ownership. Both buildings are ‘at risk of deterioration’.
Other measures include £100,000 being spent on a ‘feasibility study of council-owned heritage assets’ to see what options and the costs are for safeguarding and development them.
A new housing standards officer and building surveyor are being recruited to strengthen the city council’s planning team and a Conservation Area match funding pot is being launched to help people struggling with improvements to homes which are within conservation areas.
As Blog Preston reported as part of coverage of the full council budget there’s a total of £380,000 set aside for redeveloping the currently empty Avenham Park and Haslam Park lodges.
‘We need to lead by example’
In February last year the city council brought together the Empty Properties Taskforce which works with organisations across the city to focus on ensuring heritage and empty properties are kept safe.
The council say they have also been working closely with private landlords, Preserving Preston’s Heritage CIC, the police and fire service over any issues with heritage buildings.
Cabinet member for community wealth building and city regeneration at the Labour-run city council, councillor Valerie Wise, said: “It is important that we lead by example and will be looking to make some improvements to key heritage assets in our ownership that have been hindered by financial constraints in recent years.
“We have made some excellent progress over the past 12 months driven by city-wide collaboration, but there is still a lot of work to do. We encourage the public to report any unusual, suspicious or anti-social behaviour around empty buildings.”
Working alongside Cllr Wise on the Empty Properties Taskforce is cabinet member for planning and regulation councillor Amber Afzal.
She said: “Alongside regular checks and inspections by our Housing Standards Team, Planning Enforcement and Building Control, it is important that we continue to use our legislative rights to hold those less scrupulous landlords and property owners to account, to improve and bring back into use empty heritage assets for the benefit of the city and for future generations.”
What enforcement action has been happening?
St Joseph’s Orphanage is one of the buildings which is seeing increased focused as part of the heritage funding boost.
Ongoing enforcement activity and urgent works are being carried out at St Joseph’s in conjunction with the Health and Safety Executive after demolition of buildings around the grade-II listed chapel and tower were needed in the wake of the fires.
The council also pointed to its tougher stance being taken on repair works being committed to by landlords and owners – with The Old Dog Inn seeing urgent works undertaken, an ongoing series of legal threats by the council resulted in College House – known as Edith Rigby House – having work begin on securing it and the Harris Institute is regularly seeing planning applications go in for modified plans and more security measures put in place.
Demolition has also taken place in the past 12 months of 12-14 Avenham Street, Lanson House and Beat Street Café which were all judged to have become unsafe.
Heritage buildings become unifying political issue
Following the fires in November 2024, a volunteer-led group and movement was formed by former teacher Rachael Bryson who said she was fed up of seeing Preston’s heritage buildings treated badly.
It has since recruited dozens of organisations, become a Community Interest Company and has an active online membership numbering more than 2,500.
Glenn Cookson from the group welcomed the council’s heritage buildings spending commitment.
He told Blog Preston: “It is particularly encouraging to see dedicated personnel in place, with clear responsibility for heritage assets across the city. This kind of ownership and focus is essential to driving meaningful progress.
“We also welcome the Council’s commitment to prioritising the heritage properties within its direct ownership and control. Key sites such as those on Lancaster Road and the two park lodges have been on PPH’s “red list” since our inception, so it is fantastic to see these now receiving the attention they deserve.
“Since PPH was founded in December 2024, it has been encouraging to see our voice reflected in action—most notably through the the Empty Properties Task Force. The continued support from the local community has also been incredibly positive and reinforces the importance of this work.
“We look forward to working closely with the Council and other stakeholders to help preserve these important buildings and unlock exciting new futures for some of Preston’s most iconic heritage assets. We hope Preston can become a leading example nationally for how cities can celebrate, protect, and revitalise their heritage.”
At a recent full council budget meeting, all opposition parties tabled various plans for heritage and heritage buildings in their upcoming election manifestos or alternative budgets.
Opposition group the Lib Dems said they welcomed the announcement but also questioned the council’s record given the back and forth in the past year over the future of the soon to be demolished former Tithebarn pub which has been in council ownership and classified as a condemned building.
Councillor Ben Ward said: “The Liberal Democrats strongly welcome the increased funding announced in the recent budget for the protection of our city’s heritage sites. At last, the Labour leadership has acknowledged the cultural and community value of Preston’s historic buildings.
“Sadly, this renewed interest has come too late for some of our landmark sites, but we hope it is just in time to save others. It is now vital that these additional funds are invested promptly, before more council‑owned properties fall into the kind of neglect that led to the demolition of the Tithebarn Pub.
“For too long, it has felt as though the new has been prioritised over the old. These first steps must now be built upon to deliver a more balanced and ambitious approach to our urban landscape — one that places our heritage buildings at the heart of Preston’s vision for the future.”
Preston’s Conservative group also welcomed the funding and councillor Maxwell Green said: “Preston is full of heritage and so many buildings make up our history which is why it is such a shame that so many have been allowed to get into such a state.
“At the recent budget Council meeting, we made several proposals we believe are important including the feasibility study for Council owned heritage properties, because as a Council, we must lead by example.
“We also proposed heritage enforcement and protection officers with extra legal support so we could hold owners accountable where they do not treat these heritage buildings with the respect they deserve.
“Like many people in Preston, I was born right here in Sharoe Green Hospital. Preston is home, and I hate seeing our heritage destroyed or just frontages left like a movie set. We need to protect our heritage for future generations. I want Preston to thrive, and look good.”
And Reform’s councillor Stephen Thompson told Blog Preston he was particularly concerned about the future of Arkwright House.
He said: “Preston’s built heritage has been neglected for a long time and the Preston Heritage Group are doing a great job raising awareness of the issues. I’m determined to keep raising the issue with the council as there is a lot of work to be done.
“It is particularly concerning that Arkwright House is in such a sad state, this is a nationally important building. Preston has a great history and it is reflected in our buildings let’s celebrate them and keep them for future generations.”
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