Right now work is set to begin on a new 12 story tower of bars, student flats, restaurants and hotel rooms. This is set to go on one of the entrances to Preston city center. Contractors are expected to move in the coming week to start on the multi-million pound development on the Fox Street car park on the corner of Corporation Street.

This new project will include a brand new seven floor, 140 bedroom Premier Inn Hotel. The new hotel for Premier Inn comes at a time when many other hotel chains are struggling just to keep their heads above water. Travel experts have already made note that hotel chains that can afford to build right now can expand their network for cheap.

This new development will not just be the home of the new Premier Inn, but it will also cater to almost 275 students with a huge hexagonal block of 55, five bedroom flats. After the bulldozers move in to make room for the Premier Inn and other facilities, the City Mission Church will be demolished and moved into the ground floor of the new tower as well.

The Fox Street car park has already been closed down and hoarding was due to go up around the site. This has led to the loss of the temporary 11 space taxi rank on the Corporation Street slip road, which was open just about a year ago. This was open when the amount of space at the railway station was reduced to 12.

The head of licensing at Preston Council, Mike Thorpe, said that the rank had been closed and drivers have been notified of the closings. He added, “Obviously, that puts added pressure on the county council to work with us to find an alternative rank. We’re aware there was some over-ranking (at Corporation Street) but we were sympathetic there was a problem. We’re still keen on providing another daytime rank at that end of the city center.”

Thanks to www.lep.co.uk for the above quotes.