Thumbs up for continuation of Cottam Story
PLANNING permission has been granted for the latest phase of development at Cottam Hall, Preston, a development of 283 homes.
The development will be family owned Carlisle-based developer Story Homes’ first scheme in Preston.
It is to be known as Cottam Waterside, due to its attractive location overlooking the Lancaster Canal and will offer a mix of two, three, four and five bedroom properties, 85 of which will be for affordable housing.
Story Homes’ chief executive Steve Errington, said: “We are delighted to be delivering our first scheme in Preston at Cottam Hall.
“We believe the Story Homes offer is different to that of other developers currently active in the area and we believe our product will be something new, but also very much be in keeping with the Preston market.
“We are also keen to promote the local job and supply chain opportunities which will be created as a result of this development.”
Cottam Hall is the third of 11 development sites owned by the Homes and Communities Agency which are being developed as part of the Preston, South Ribble and Lancashire City Deal.
The City Deal was agreed between Preston City Council, South Ribble Borough Council and Lancashire County Council, along with central government and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA).
Jim Carter, chair of the City Deal and board member for the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership, said: “Our City Deal will create thousands of new jobs over the next few years, growing the local economy by over £1bn and making it an even better place to live.”
At Cottam there will be a new park, multi-use games area and the creation of amenity space. £328,000 is also being contributed towards the improvement and joining up of the southern side of the Lancaster Canal towpath.
Story Homes is due to begin work at Cottam Waterside in early Autumn, once ecological works have taken place. This includes catching and relocating Great Crested Newts to a safeguarded ecological area, where two new ponds have been specially constructed.
Future phases of Cottam Hall, which is a 150 acre site with an overall outline planning permission for 1,100 homes will be brought to the market over the next few years. Barratt Homes are currently on site delivering 104 homes.
Stuart Sage from the HCA said: “At Cottam we developed a really good working relationship with Barratt and more recently we’ve been working closely with Story Homes, who are an important partner of the HCA.
“Story Homes are already on site at Lancaster Moor, another key HCA-owned site and the development there is proving popular, so it will great to see them replicate that success for the next phase of the Cottam masterplan.”
