An outline proposal for up to 320 dwellings, local centre and land for a new secondary school on land at Tabley Lane has been unanimously approved by Preston City Council’s planning committee, subject to S106 agreement. Randall Thorp provided masterplanning, LVIA and DAS services for the planning application; following on from our previous experience working on the Taylor Wimpey ‘Hayfield Park’ development (formerly Haydock Grange) which is located immediately to the south. Both sites form part of the wider ‘North West Preston’ strategic allocation site.     The greatest challenge for the application was viability. As masterplanners, Randall Thorp were responsible for the development of multiple masterplan options which provided for a range of non-residential land uses at various scales, as part of a wider residential development. The masterplan options were used throughout the viability appraisal process. It was critical that the constraints of the site were fully understood in order to maximise any development potential, while also creating a framework for a high quality residential scheme with a strong sense of place. The approval of the outline application forms an important stepping stone to the delivery of this critical central parcel of the North West Preston strategic site.