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Plans revealed for £13M revamp of Preston’s iconic grade II listed bus station

New York based architect John Puttick Associates wins RIBA competition to redevelop site and create new Youth Zone for Lancashire County Council.

Preston Bus Station

Preston’s historic grade II listed bus station and 22,500 m² site is to be redeveloped under a new multi-million pound investment plan revealed this week by Lancashire County Council.

The £13M plan will preserve the bus station’s unique BDP-designed 1960s brutalist architecture and pioneering precast concrete, revamp the public space and create a home for the new Preston Youth Zone Plus.

The redevelopment plan is by New York-based architect John Puttick Associates which emerged as the winner following an architectural competition run by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), on behalf of the council and Preston Youth Zone.

“This is a significant investment in one of Preston's most well-known buildings, which will bring exciting new facilities for our young people, for this generation and for future ones." Jennifer Mein, leader of Lancashire County Council.

The judges’ decision mirrored the outcome of a public vote held in July following a two-day exhibition of the five anonymous shortlisted schemes held in the bus station and online. A total of 4,215 votes were cast by people choosing their favourite design for a new youth zone.

"We're delighted that a strong design has been chosen for the new Youth Zone Plus and we'll now be working hard to get it built,” said Jennifer Mein, leader of Lancashire County Council. “This is a significant investment in one of Preston's most well-known buildings, which will bring exciting new facilities for our young people, for this generation and for future ones." 

The site is located in the north east corner of Preston City Centre. The bus station was designed by BDP in 1969 and sits in the heart of the redevelopment. As the biggest bus station in Europe, it consists of a 4,250 m² double height ground floor, 1100 m² mezzanine floor and nine levels of car parking for 1150 cars. 

The building’s construction pioneered the use of GRP moulds for precast concrete to give a smooth finish and the compound curved surfaces for which the building is known. 

The new redevelopment design by John Puttick, who previously worked at Make Architects and with David Chipperfield Architects, will revitalise the bus station, create a new “OnSide Youth Zone”, and a large outdoor public space to provide a mix of uses.

“We are delighted to have been selected as the winners of the competition and are excited to develop the design with the client and stakeholders,” said Puttick. “We hope to play a game of football on the roof once the project is complete.”

The county council and Preston Youth Zone will now work with the architects to agree on the final design, with the planning application submitted later this year.

The other shortlisted teams were:-

  • Cassidy + Ashton, Preston 
  • Igor Russo with Flanagan Lawrence Architects, London 
  • Letts Wheeler Architects, Nottingham
  • Sane Architecture, France 
If you would like to contact Antony Oliver about this, or any other story, please email antony.oliver@infrastructure-intelligence.com.