Plans to demolish St. John’s Shopping Centre in Preston set for approval
Proposal includes residential towers and landscaped courtyard
Preston City Council's planning committee is poised to approve plans for the demolition of St. John’s Shopping Centre, paving the way for new tower blocks and a landscaped courtyard linking the bus station to the markets quarter.
Councillors will consider the ambitious proposal at a meeting scheduled for at 2pm on 3rd March 2026. Planning officials have recommended the approval of the scheme, which would mark the end of the retail destination established in 1965.
Transformative development plans
The proposed development by Wansfell Ltd. consists of two interconnected towers, alongside an already-approved third tower nearby. Together, these buildings will offer up to 500 apartments, new retail units, and a city center NHS facility. The towers are designed to rise from 11 to 16 storeys.
Initial details of the proposal emerged last year during a public consultation before a planning application was submitted in October. St. John’s was described as a "dated and underperforming commercial centre" with low occupancy, offering a poor first impression of Preston for many visitors.
Proposed features and future details
Outline permission is being sought, allowing for potential changes in specifics at later stages. Current plans propose residential units on the upper floors with flexible uses at ground level and a "neighbourhood health centre" occupying at least the ground and first floors and possibly extending to the second and third storeys.
The third block, for which planning permission was secured in 2023, consists of an entirely residential 11-storey tower set to emerge following the demolition of a building on Tithebarn Street, previously home to various nightclubs.
Town hall planners believe the proposed layout is a significant improvement for the site's character and appearance and see it as "an important regeneration opportunity."
The meeting at Preston Town Hall is expected to clarify dimensions and specifics of the application and provide final determination on the development plans.