Retirement complex plans unveiled near Preston’s Moor Park

Plans have been unveiled to build dozens of retirement apartments on the border of Preston’s Moor Park.

The proposed development – on the site of a redundant depot on Moor Park Avenue – would see the creation of a three-storey block whose 51 flats would be reserved for over-60s.

The complex is intended for retirees who want to maintain their independence, but also to have care and support on hand when required.

Retirement living specialists McCarthy Stone, the firm behind the blueprint, says the scheme has been designed to be affordable for those people who would usually find such a lifestyle out of reach.

The facility would be aimed at residents currently living in what the company describes as “an average priced home, between £150k-£250k, for whom traditional retirement living developments are not a viable alternative”. It says the site would cater for “the middle market”.

Occupiers of the 15 two-bedroomed and 36 one-bed apartments would also have access to a communal lounge and garden, as well as a storage area for mobility scooters.  The apartments would be linked by heated corridors and accessed from a secure entrance.

The site, which backs onto St. Thomas’s Road, is bordered by Moor Park to the north and Deepdale Bowling Club to the east.    It is currently made up of a series of vacant industrial buildings and garages.

In order to keep prices low, McCarthy Stone says it would use modern methods of construction which would enable the block to be built around 20 percent quicker than would usually be the case.  The company says that means there is little flexibility for it to deviate from the L-shaped design it has put before town hall planners.

In a design and access statement submitted to Preston City Council, the firm adds:  “[We] have created this development concept to target a level of affordability that is an under-supplied sector of the market and for which there has been no substantial supply of stock.

“Retirement housing makes an enormous difference to the lives of older people across the country. The proposition helps residents stay happier and healthier for longer, enabling them to maintain their independence, find a community and make new friendships.”

While McCarthy Stone says it is seeking to provide properties within its Moor Park development at “lower than local market value price”, it has argued that the “marginal” nature of the scheme means it would not be financially viable for it to meet local planning obligations, which include a stipulation that 30 percent of all new developments in urban Preston should be officially categorised as ‘affordable housing’ and offered at a suitably discounted rate.