Editing Preston, Lancashire (section)

====Proposed developments====
In 2006 the Preston City Council, in conjunction with the [[South Ribble Borough Council]], proposed a major development estimated at £800 million to redevelop the city's docks and large sections of the River Ribble. Known as ''Riverworks'', the plan proposed new leisure facilities (watersports), landmark buildings, a new central park opposite [[Avenham Park]], office and retail space, new residential developments and the re-opening of some of Preston's old canal with new facilities for a "park and boat ride" scheme. The proposal met with considerable resistance from the local community (with 74% of residents objecting) and leisure and environmental groups due to the potential loss of green space, impact upon ecosystems (especially fish populations) and increased risk of flooding resulted in protests and campaigns being organised to have the project cancelled.<ref>{{cite web| title=Flood plain housing plan slammed| work=Lancashire Evening Post, 30 June 2007| url=http://www.lep.co.uk/news?articleid=2995255| access-date=1 July 2007| archive-date=9 January 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210109144945/https://www.lep.co.uk/news| url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/757438.river-plan-protest-walk/ |title=River Plan Protest Walk |publisher=Lancashire Telegraph |author=Emma Mayoh |date=11 May 2006 |access-date=16 November 2021}}</ref>

In December 2007 the Preston City Council pulled out of a major part of the Riversworks plan, the highly contentious [[barrage (dam)|Ribble Barrage]], and stated the revised plan would only look at improving Preston Docklands (in particular, the on-going blue green algae problem) and extending the Lancaster Canal from its current terminus at [[Ashton-on-Ribble|Ashton]] into the city at the back of the University of Central Lancashire (near the site of the former boat basin which was filled in prior to the construction of the current campus).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/1880448.council-pulls-out-of-ribble-barrage-plan/ |title=Council Pulls Out of Ribble Barrage Plan |publisher=Lancashire Telegraph |author=Andrew Greaves |date=4 December 2007 |access-date=16 November 2021}}</ref>

A subsequent change in council's ''Sustainable Community Strategy'', especially in regards to ''Environmental'', ''Health and Well-being'' and  ''People and Communities'' policies and targets, resulted in a ban on development on green belt land, and along with city's new Local Plan, the remaining (re)development proposals within the Riverworks plan were abandoned.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www3.lancashire.gov.uk/council/meetings/displayFile.asp?FTYPE=D&FILEID=25856 |title=Preston Community Strategy 2009–2012 |publisher=Preston Strategic Partnership |access-date=16 November 2021 |archive-date=20 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111020081128/http://www3.lancashire.gov.uk/council/meetings/displayFile.asp?FTYPE=D&FILEID=25856 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.preston.gov.uk/media/1952/Preston-s-Local-Plan/pdf/Preston-Local-Plan-2012-2026-_(8).pdf?m=637056240884300000 |title=Preston Local Plan 2012–2026 |publisher=Preston City Council |access-date=16 November 2021}}</ref>