A building in rural Preston that was once part of the largest psychiatric hospital in the UK is to be converted into a luxury home. North Lodge is one of three remaining properties on the former Whittingham Hospital site, off Cumeragh Lane.
The distinctive former gatehouse has been left disused and decaying since the institution – which opened in 1873 – finally closed more than a century later in 1995. The site has since been largely cleared and is now occupied by new housing and the NHS Guild Lodge unit, which has been delivering mental health services for more than 25 years.
Preston City Council planners have given the go-ahead to the conversion, which will see the lodge completely refurbished, with an extension added to the rear. The newly-built section will be attached to the existing property via a part-glass and part-metal-clad link, with the feature also acting as the new main entrance.
The number of bedrooms will also double – from two to four. The extension will replace several outbuildings, thought to be on the verge of collapse, which were deemed of less historical significance than the lodge itself.
A report by town hall planning officers concluded that the proposal would “improve the appearance of the existing property and…the street scene along Cumeragh Lane,” serving to bring back into use a long-vacant building. The add-on was deemed acceptable as it was not considered to be “overbearing” or out of keeping with nearby properties.
One of the decaying rooms within the Cumeragh Lane property
(Image: Nick Moss Architects, via Preston City Council planning portal)
According to the planning application – submitted by Chorley-based BARE Capital Ltd – North Lodge has been neglected since the hospital closed and has seen “significant decay”. While the external shell of the building is largely intact, the plaster ceilings inside have collapsed and the first floor timbers are rotting.
There are few surviving original features internally – with the spiral staircase being the one of most interest. The window frames appear to be original, but are in a state of disrepair, while the fireplaces have been ripped out and the original doors replaced.
Under the approved plans, the existing building will be redeveloped to feature a lounge, bedroom, shower room and walk-in wardrobe on the ground floor. A further two bedrooms and a bathroom will be found upstairs.
Meanwhile, the extension will include an open plan kitchen, dining and lounge area downstairs, with a bedroom, walk-through wardrobe and ensuite on the first floor.
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