Historic home of inventor Arkwright to be restored
THE historic former home of inventor Sir Richard Arkwright in Preston city centre is set to be restored and modernised by Kirkham-based Croft Goode Architects.
A three-storey extension to the Grade II-listed Arkwright House along with improvements to the interior, lighting and electrics will help transform the building into the main modern office space for current occupiers Age Concern Central Lancashire.
The £1.2m redevelopment on Stoneygate will also improve accessibility to the building with ramps, where possible, and amend the overall configuration to get the best use from some of the larger offices.
Originally built in 1728, the Georgian town house has been Grade II listed since 1950 and is now firmly embedded in the region’s history as the place where Arkwright invented his cotton spinning machine in 1768.
Plans for the restoration scheme were approved by Preston City Council and work is expected to start next year.
Richard Edge, Croft Goode’s lead designer on the project, spoke positively about the impact of the designs on the building’s future.
He said: “The proposals seek to demolish an unsuitable 1978 extension attached to the rear of Arkwright House and replace it with a new extension that will house a stairway and a lift to all floors.
“There will also be new toilets, kitchenettes and informal meeting spaces to allow the rest of the building to function at a higher level.
“Some internal remodelling is proposed in the older part of the building to complete a scheme that will bring Age Concern Central Lancashire into the 21st Century and enable the people that the charity works with to enjoy full access to the building.”
