18 February 2009
Preston Vision looks for top talent to drive the transformation
of England’s newest city
The search is underway to find the team that will boost
Preston’s ambitions to become one of the Northwest’s top three
cities.
The newly formed company Preston Vision is now looking for a
Chief Executive, Chair and Non Executive Directors to spearhead the
transformation of Preston into a competitive European city.
The Preston Vision Board was originally created as an informal
public/private sector partnership. Its purpose was to help Preston
City Council turn the city centre into a vibrant area of
opportunity, capitalising on the benefits that the Tithebarn
regeneration Scheme will bring, and ensuring that those benefits
extend to the rest of the city and to the wider area. The partners
involved in Preston Vision decided to create a new body which will
be able to deliver projects in its own right. Preston Vision is a
company limited by guarantee and its objectives are:
“to assist, promote, encourage, develop and secure the social,
physical, economic, environmental and educational related
development of the Preston City Centre areas and the gateways, for
the benefit of all the people of Preston and the surrounding
area.”
The three founding members of the Company are Preston City
Council, Lancashire County Council and The University of Central
Lancashire (UCLAN). South Ribble Borough Council and the Northwest
Regional Development Agency (NWDA) have also joined the Board of
the Company, which mirrors the arrangements of the original
informal body.
The current Chair of the Preston Vision Board, Malcolm McVicar
(UCLan Vice-Chancellor), says “It was both necessary and sensible
to create a more formal structure so that Preston Vision can
achieve its ambition to help Preston City Council and its Partners
transform the city by delivering an integrated programme of
regionally significant projects, that are sustainable and benefit
the communities in Preston and the surrounding areas”.
Ian Haythornthwaite, NWDA Executive Director of Resources, who
will also be joining the Board of the new company, said:
“The new company is an evolution for Preston Vision from
visioning and strategy to a focus on delivery. Building on the
opportunities provided by the Tithebarn and Preston Guild, we hope
that this development will spearhead a step change that will enable
the city to realise its ambitions, capitalising on its potential as
an important driver of regional economic growth.”
Preston’s Vision to become one of the top three cities in the
North West includes key projects such as:
• Preston Tithebarn – the £700m redevelopment of the City Centre. A
major mixed use scheme made up of around 1.5m sq ft of retail,
leisure and residential development
• A 21st Century Central Business District
• Proposals to regenerate under utilised waterways and make better
use of the river, canal and former docklands
• Green City Spaces – enhancement of city centre parks and
spaces
• Improved accessibility of the City Centre
Malcolm McVicar is preparing to hand over the reins to a new
Chair after four years chairing the Board. “It’s a sensible time
for me to step down as Chair as the Partnership moves into the next
phase and becomes a Company in its own right. I hope to continue to
be involved and am happy to remain until we find the right Chair to
lead Preston Vision during the next few exciting and challenging
years.”
Malcolm added “the involvement of the private sector is vital so
that we ensure that there is a strong private sector focus on the
Preston Vision Board and in all the downstream activities. This
series of appointments is vital in achieving and securing this
ambition.”
The positions were advertised in the Sunday Times on 15th
February and will also be advertised in the Lancashire Evening Post
on 19th February, and the Preston Vision Board is being supported
in the appointment process by the leading North West headhunting
consultancy Robinson Keane.