House builder Story Homes was granted planning permission for the development known as Waterside in March last year, which will offer a mix of two, three, four and five bedroom properties overlooking the canal.
Up to 30 per cent of the homes will be classed as affordable and designated for rental or sale for local residents, in line with Preston City Council policy.
Contractors are now on site undertaking clearance works before infrastructure construction starts.
It follows an important environmental project, which included catching and relocating Great Crested Newts to a safeguarded ecological area, where two new ponds were specially constructed.
Andrew McManus, Story Homes Assistant Production Manager responsible for Cottam, said: “The first phase of the work involves securing the site, fencing it off and starting initial groundwork. This includes preparation for the new roads and drainage and putting in the foundations for the first plots.
“Once this is done we will be opening our temporary sales unit, where the public can come and take a look at the floor plans and get a better idea of what the houses will look like when they are finished.”
Cottam Hall is the third of 11 development sites owned by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) which are being developed as part of the Preston, South Ribble and Lancashire City Deal.
The City Deal is an agreement between Lancashire Enterprise Partnership, Preston City Council, South Ribble Council and Lancashire County Council, along with central government and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA). It will deliver nearly 17,000 homes in central Lancashire over the next 10 years.
County Councillor Jennifer Mein, Leader of Lancashire County Council, said: “This is an exciting time for the area with investment in the city centre, new homes being built, new roads being built to help people get around and much more.
“As we grow the local economy and create new jobs, we need to make sure that we have the right homes for people and their families. This new development at Cottam is part of these plans. We’re working closely with the city council, the HCA and our other partners to make this happen.”
The 150 acre site has overall outline planning permission for 1,100 homes, which will be brought to the market over the next few years.
Once completed, the full site will also include, retail, commercial and community facilities including children’s play areas, open space, landscaping and associated infrastructure such as footpaths, cycle routes and ecological mitigations measures.
Story Homes has pledged to contribute more than £1.6m towards local education as part of an agreement between Story Homes and City Deal.
The North West developer will also be spending around £1.4m on funding other improvements in the local area, which includes; spending £390,000 on the Tom Benson Way Cycle Lane and making a £960,000 contribution to public transport and £60,000 to Guild Wheel improvements.
The development will also create a number of employment opportunities for local contractors, with positive knock on effects for the local supply chain and other local businesses and services.
Councillor John Swindells, deputy leader of Preston City Council said: “We are pleased to see this development come forward. It’s an important milestone for the Preston, South Ribble and Lancashire City Deal.
“There’s a strong emphasis too on affordable homes and building long lasting and sustainable communities for the future. And that’s what the City Deal is all about. Building new homes, forging new communities, investing in key infrastructure such as roads as well as public transport and the Guild Wheel to boost Preston’s economy.
“Story Homes clearly sees Preston’s unique potential and we are delighted they are investing and building new homes in the city.”
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