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It could be up to five years before work to create a long-planned new park for Preston gets under way.
The so-called ‘linear park’ will form a single green corridor running through the rapidly expanding north west of the city. Space for the facility was set aside in a masterplan drawn up back in 2017 to guide the development of around 5,500 homes in the area over the following two decades.
A report presented to a recent meeting of the Preston, South Ribble and Lancashire City Deal reveals that the Preston City Council project is in its “early stages”.
The document states that the park is likely to be “designed, delivered and maintained by a procured organisation” on behalf of the authority “in consultation with…the local community”.
It adds: “The estimated start date for the linear park is likely to be in the next 3-5 years and will include an alternative off-road route for the Guild Wheel. It will also provide an opportunity to enhance biodiversity, as required under new government legislation.”
The North West Preston Masterplan indicates that it will be one of two new ‘metropolitan parks’ to be created in the area and will stretch in a south-westerly direction from the junction of Sandy Lane and Bartle Lane to a point just north of Hoyles Lane. It is expected to connect to a second park on land further east – directly south of the M55 – which the blueprint envisages as a “formal civic park with landscaped gardens and play areas”.
The vision for the linear park has previously caused controversy, because of the presence of electricity pylons that will run right down the middle of it.
During a city council planning committee meeting last year, cabinet member for the environment Carol Henshaw questioned the value of the facility on that basis – and called for a canopy of trees to be created in order to lessen the blight of the powerlines. The area either side of the pylons would not have been suitable for housing, meaning an alternative use has had to be found for it.
Asked for further details on the development of the green space, a spokesperson for Preston City Council indicated that while physical work is a while away, the planning was well in progress.
“The linear park is one long green route that will be delivered through the North West Preston/Bartle area, as set out in the masterplan, which includes references to parks in the east and west.
“It will provide a pedestrian and cycling green connection for most of the parcels of development currently being delivered and planned in that area – and a place for wildlife and recreation.
“The masterplan provides guidance on the nature of the park, but the detail is yet to be determined. The council has commenced work on its delivery and more detail should come forward in 2025,” the spokesperson added.
The city council has requested housebuilders hand over the land needed for the linear park – rather than each creating the parts of the facility that fall within their own individual developments – so that there is some consistency to the feature. Roads will also necessarily have to cut across the park at some points, the authority has previously confirmed.
Elsewhere within North West Preston, a series of local parks and neighbourhood play areas – along with a major ‘destination play area’ – are planned to enhance the wellbeing of residents moving into the location.
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