City's tallest office block to become apartments

Image source, RPS Design Group

Image caption, The building will house 115 flats, mostly containing one or two bedrooms
  • Author, Paul Faulkner
  • Role, Local Democracy Reporting Service

An office block in Preston city centre is set to be converted into more than 100 apartments.

The 15-storey Guild Tower, which stands on Church Row, is Preston鈥檚 tallest office building. 聽

It was most recently occupied by the Department for Work and Pensions, but has been largely empty for more than a year.

The Level entertainment complex that occupies the ground floor and basement of the site will not be affected.

However, it is all change for the bulk of the block which will soon house 115 flats, mostly containing one or two bedrooms.

The apartments will run from the second floor all the way to the top of the structure, where panoramic views of Preston will be on offer to purchasers of the four, three-bedroomed penthouse properties that will be created.

The outside of the brutalist building 鈥 which dates back to 1979 鈥 is also in line for a facelift, with its brown concrete panels to take on 鈥渁 combination of grey and white tones鈥, according to planning documents seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Meanwhile, a so-called "living wall" of plants will be wrapped around the lower two floors, while the existing flat roof currently found at second floor level will become an outdoor space for residents, complete with a short running track, exercise equipment and seating.

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