A multi-million pound leisure and entertainment complex at the heart of Preston's city centre, has been approved by Preston City Council to move to the next key stage of development.

Animate is being funded by the City Council, with support from the Towns Fund and the Preston, South Ribble and Lancashire City Deal and will be publicly owned.

Located within the Harris Quarter, this transformational scheme includes an eight-screen cinema, a bowling alley, various food and beverage units and new city parking, with improvements to the surrounding public realm, including new landscaping, trees and street lighting. It will contribute to creating a diverse and thriving cultural and leisure offer in the city centre. Both well-known national and local independent brand restaurants will be part of the scheme.

Preston City Council's development partner, Maple Grove Developments, received full sign off on the next crucial milestone at a full Council meeting, with main contractor Eric Wright Construction ready to start the important construction phase.

The decision gives the green light for the building contract to be signed and preparation for work on site will start over the next month, with a start on site in early 2023.

Councillor Matthew Brown, Leader of Preston City Council, said: "Over the coming months, the people of Preston will start to see a lot more activity on site as the diggers and heavy machinery move in and the build starts to take shape.

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"Preston City Council and its development partner Maple Grove Developments are committed to delivering Animate, a first-class leisure and entertainment development that is central to our regeneration plans for the city and a catalyst for attracting further investment and development. The high street and how we use it, is radically changing and we are building resilience with a diverse leisure and cultural offer to support the retail sector.

"Animate is being funded and retained by the Council as a strategic public asset and we are confident in the benefits that this development will bring. The decision is underpinned by our commitment to the Preston Model - our Community Wealth Building strategy - which is to create and support long-term local jobs, training and investment, and to help bring about positive changes in the standard of living for our residents by ensuring more of our local economy is democratically and socially owned."

As an important go-to entertainment destination in the city centre, the development will boost footfall and consumer spend in the city centre, supporting both the day and night-time economy, encouraging people to stay out longer and enjoy the city centre's other cultural attractions.

It will include:

• eight-screen cinema including a large format experience screen

• 16 lane bowling alley

• five new restaurants and bars

• a street food hub

• new public terrace next to Preston Markets

• a new below ground level 164 space car park

• complementary public realm and outdoor terrace for alfresco dining

• improved pedestrian links between the scheme and the bus station car park

• a changing places facility.

The scheme is part funded by Towns Fund investment (£3.4m) and Preston, South Ribble and Lancashire City Deal (£3.25m). Animate will provide more than 140 long term skilled jobs for local people, including construction employment and training opportunities throughout the building works.

As one of the key Town Deal projects and central to the £200m Harris Quarter Towns Fund Investment Programme, Animate will help to regenerate the Harris Quarter and support the Council's commitment to Preston's City Investment Plan 2035, complementing further investment in the Harris Museum, Art Gallery and Library, flexible office space for local businesses in Amounderness House and the Youth Zone.