Preston bus station designs go to next stage

Almost 100 entries have been submitted to the architectural competition for Preston's iconic bus station.

The plans will see an investment of around £13m in the Grade II listed bus station, which will transform the public space and become home to the new Preston Youth Zone – while preserving the building's unique brutalist architecture.

The 93 submissions will now be evaluated by the judging panel, before five are shortlisted for the next stage of the competition. Entries will be considered anonymously by the judging panel.

The panel will be led by Hugh Broughton, architect and RIBA appointed advisor. He will be joined Rob Carter, OnSide's deputy chief executive; members of the county council and city council's cabinets, as well as architects from the county council; and John Wilson as a community representative.

Sue Procter, director of programmes and project management for Lancashire County Council said: "The five shortlisted teams will be provided with feedback on their submissions and asked to further develop their concept designs. The aim is to ensure the bus station site become a catalyst for regeneration and to make it more appealing to passengers. It's key to the competition that we protect the integrity of this listed building, while creating an exciting new facility for generations of young people."

The architectural competition is being run by the Royal Institute of British Architects, on behalf of the county council and Preston Youth Zone.

As an independent charity Preston Youth Zone will be delivered as a result of a powerful combination of public, private and voluntary sector support led by OnSide Youth Zones, a charity dedicated to providing modern youth facilities based on the model of the highly successful and innovative Bolton Lads and Girls Club. Preston Youth Zone will contribute £1m towards the construction costs with Lancashire County Council investing £5m.