Preston nursery that shut down suddenly could be turned into a five-bed home with a gym and games room

Fulwood Lodge in Longsands Lane, Fulwood, was the base for the former First Steps Nursery until its closure in August 2022.

The building was auctioned off in March, with a guide price of £550,000.

Now agent WSP has been instructed by applicant James Hill to prepare an application for the change of use into a single residential dwelling.

In an application to Preston City Council, WSP state: “The nursey use would have created substantial journeys to and from the premises every weekday, including those dropping off and picking up children as well as staff members.

"This application proposes the conversion of the former nursery into a single dwelling. The proposed use will result in a significant decrease in traffic to and from the property and therefore, the proposal will have a positive impact on the local transport network compared with the previous use.”

Nursery closure

Last August, unable to secure staff for the new term in the following September, the nursery said it would not be able to safely offer quality childcare, even on quieter days, and the decision was made to close its doors for good.

"This has been an incredibly difficult decision, and may I say how sorry I am that this situation has arisen,” said owner Mike Melville.

Mr Melville said the difficulty in finding staff was a ‘nationwide issue’ affecting nurseries across the UK and said First Steps had to rely on agency staff on a daily basis.