[captainjason]

Best time to be a student, dont have to worry about finding a job

[Stevil]

If it's true John Lewis will want a smaller store, then there must be a lot of re-designing to do, as the entire scheme is designed around and focussed on the JL store.

Looks like John Lewis won't be expanding anywhere in the near future.

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/busi...icle5886941.ece

[Mr Fell]

Ah well - thats it for the project then !!

[Riversider]

Also this on the BBC Website: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7936786.stm which states:

John Lewis plans to open its first department store in Wales in September, in Cardiff, and construction has begun on a shop at the Olympic site in Stratford, scheduled to open in 2011.

Beyond those two projects, the company said all its new store plans had been delayed.

Looks like very bad news indeed for Preston Stevil, and a vindication for those of us who suggested all along that the council should listen to the people and go for a more sustainable project based on what Preston people actually want and need, rather than the 'all or nothing' gamble our leaders went for with our future. While neighbouring areas developed, we were forced to wait, and wait and wait.

Now it looks like all we'll get is more delay and more stagnation, thanks to the sheer arrogant ineptitude of those charged with leading our City's development.

[Accura]

Read the article properly. John Lewis have said that that it will continue to expand as long as developers complete their premises. Believe it or not, Tithebarn stands a much greater chance than many of their other proposals because it is a regeneration project (state funding) and not a privately built shopping centre.

[Stevil]

Read the article properly. John Lewis have said that that it will continue to expand as long as developers complete their premises. Believe it or not, Tithebarn stands a much greater chance than many of their other proposals because it is a regeneration project (state funding) and not a privately built shopping centre.

I thought it was privately funded.
http://www.prestontithebarn.com/questions.htm#

QUESTION 5
WHO WILL PAY FOR IT?
The scheme will be entirely privately funded by Preston Tithebarn Partnership.

Also

QUESTION 11
HAS AN ANCHOR TENANT BEEN SIGNED UP?
Preston Tithebarn Partnership is entered into an agreement with the John Lewis Partnership to take the principal department store. This means that if the scheme goes ahead, John Lewis will occupy the large anchor store. It will be approximately 230,000 sq ft store with an adjacent car park. Preston Tithebarn Partnership is also in discussion with another leading UK retailer to take the second department store.

As has been said a lot depends on John Lewis.

[Accura]

The scheme will be entirely privately funded by Preston Tithebarn Partnership

Working on behalf of the city council.

There will be private sector contributions, but most private companies don't have the capital to launch a project of this magnitude without state funding. The L1 development received substantial grants from state funded institutions such as the NWDA.

[Riversider]

That's really interesting Accura, as the project has been sold to us as a private investment into our City by a billionaire, now, thanks to you, we learn that we are actually giving a 'substantial' public subsidy to a privately owned development. Any idea how much of our public money is involved? Any idea how we get a say in how it is spent?

[El Toro]

In my town of ' Blanes', the adjuntament ( Town hall ) 3 yrs ago borrowed 30 million euros from the Generalitat ( Catalan government ) to build a new sports center/arena/football/hockey/indoor/outdoor etc....etc........ for the sole benefit of the local residents.......It is still not finished, the contracters are waiting for payment..... the town hall cannot afford the re-payments to the government after raising council taxes to try and pay for it........And they are now trying to flog it off as a private enterprise to Italian leisure companies..... Cock-ups abound where local government are concerned....

Be safe!

[Stevil]

I've looked on the Grosvenor website, the Tithebarn website, the City Council website and everywhere else I can think of and nowhere does it mention state funding. As far as I can tell it's a 50/50 joint venture between Grosvenor and Lend Lease Corporation. Obviously Accura is privy to information hidden from the public.

[Accura]

That's really interesting Accura, as the project has been sold to us as a private investment into our City by a billionaire, now, thanks to you, we learn that we are actually giving a 'substantial' public subsidy to a privately owned development. Any idea how much of our public money is involved? Any idea how we get a say in how it is spent?

I don't know how much is involved. And it is no secret that public money allocated to regeneration is being used. A very public bid for funding was made fairly recently. As things stand, no money has yet been awarded, as the council have to make a case to get funding from the NWDA (as with any project).

Stop trying to make something out of nothing.

I've looked on the Grosvenor website, the Tithebarn website, the City Council website and everywhere else I can think of and nowhere does it mention state funding. As far as I can tell it's a 50/50 joint venture between Grosvenor and Lend Lease Corporation. Obviously Accura is privy to information hidden from the public.

Don't forget that the council are a client of Grosvenor though. No doubt that Grosvenor will plough vast amounts of their own resources into Tithebarn, but substantial amounts from the regeneration budget will be used. Again, its no secret.

[Stevil]

The scheme will be entirely privately funded by Preston Tithebarn Partnership.

If public money is being used could you point us to where it says that? Everywhere I've looked only talks about private money.

[Riversider]

If Accura is right then the council's website is definitely misleading the people. Perhaps this is just a cock-up rather than a conspiracy, but for the sake of democracy and accountability, it's important that they get 'small details' like £millions of pounds of public money right.

[Accura]

If Accura is right then the council's website is definitely misleading the people. Perhaps this is just a cock-up rather than a conspiracy, but for the sake of democracy and accountability, it's important that they get 'small details' like £millions of pounds of public money right.

The money bid for would be in the regeneration budget allocated to the region. If Preston didn't get it, then it would merely go somewhere else like Blackpool or Manchester.

[Riversider]

To be sure Accura - but if the project involves large amounts of public money, the council should be upfront about it, particularly on their website, the accuracy of which is very important for public accountability.

[Accura]

As I said before, its no secret. There has been many articles in recent years in the LEP about the council's bids for funding.

[Riversider]

Which makes it even more alarming that the council can't even get it right on their own website (if what you say is true).

[Stevil]

As I said before, its no secret. There has been many articles in recent years in the LEP about the council's bids for funding.

Again could you post a link to anywhere that it states that public money is being used on this project? Anyone looking would assume that it is all private money being thrown down the drain.

[Riversider]

There's definitely a mystery here, that needs a much fuller explanation. Perhaps it reflects the lack of openness with the public that characterises the whole project.

[captainjason]

The new bus station if Publicly funded from the NWDA. Isnt that 5 or 6 million?