UK: The Grade II Listed former Unicorn Hotel in Preston is to be retained to front a 126-unit aparthotel development.
The project, which has been approved by the city council, was originally planned as student accommodation, next door to the £15 million Canterbury Halls student complex which has 191 bedrooms.
But following a change in planning policy developer HMV North Ltd has switched to serviced apartments aimed at visiting professionals, restricted to a rental time limit of 90 days in a calendar year. The target markets are guest university lecturers and those on secondments to the area’s biggest employers.
The development will preserve much of the pub building due to conditions imposed by the planning authority.
The pub will be converted in to five apartments on the first floor, with a communal area downstairs. The other 121 units will be in a three-to-five storey block at the rear.
