North Lodge, a historic building in Whittingham, Lancashire, will be renovated into a luxury home after nearly 30 years of abandonment. The plans, approved by Preston City Council, include a significant extension and a restoration of the building's architectural features.
An iconic property is set to be transformed into a luxurious home after being abandoned for nearly 30 years. The imposing North Lodge in Whittingham , Lancashire , was listed for sale in 2023 with no guide price but was later marketed by Ben Rose for offers over £249,950. Now, plans submitted by Chorley-based BARE Capital Ltd, which have been approved by Preston City Council , outline a significant renovation project.
The plans include a 96 square metre extension to create a spacious open-plan living and dining area, and a large master bedroom with an en suite bathroom. Documents submitted with the planning application by Nick Moss Architects reveal that North Lodge was designed by Henry Littler of Manchester, the Architect to the Lancashire Asylums Board. Littler also designed Whittingham Hospital, which once housed 2,850 patients. At its peak, Whittingham Hospital was the second largest psychiatric hospital in Europe and boasted an array of facilities, including a church, its own railway line, a telephone exchange, a brewery, a post office, a ballroom, and reservoirs. The hospital closed in 1995, and while the NHS developed Guild Park on the site in 1999, North Lodge has remained untouched for nearly three decades. The building was boarded up to deter trespassers, and the surrounding land has become overgrown. The planning application states: 'Since the hospital's closure a number of re-development options have been explored which initially sought to re-use some of the key buildings on the site but has ultimately concluded with the demolition of almost all the former hospital buildings. 'In the end, only the grade II listed St John’s Church, the North Lodge and the Hermitage, that was retained by the NHS, have been retained.' North Lodge is characterized by a striking spiral staircase, described by the architects as one of the 'few surviving original features' of particular interest. The architects added: 'The architectural style of the lodge makes a positive contribution to the local area and is a distinctive feature within the landscape in a prominent position on Cumeragh Lane. The building is therefore considered to be architecturally significant.' Originally, North Lodge had three bedrooms, one of which was later converted into a bathroom. The renovated property will feature four bedrooms - one with an en suite - a family bathroom, a downstairs toilet, and parking for three cars. In recommending approval for the plans, Preston City Council planning officer Vanessa Cartwright-Bremner said in her report: 'Whilst it is proposed to extend the property on site, which would give a total of four bedrooms, the use would continue to be residential in nature and bring a property back into use which has been vacant and boarded up for a considerable number of years. 'Therefore, the proposal would improve the appearance of the existing property and that of the streetscene along Cumeragh Lane.'
North Lodge Whittingham Luxury Home Renovation Historic Building Lancashire Preston City Council
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