The Twentieth Century Society, which opposed the scheme, stated that a fraction of this amount would maintain the building while proposals to retain it were being worked up.

[15][16] In October 2014, the Lancashire County Council announced plans for a £23 million renovation of the bus station, including "Youth zone" facilities for young people,[17] along with a new public square on the western side of the building to improve public access to and from Fishergate, St John's Shopping Centre and the Preston Guild Hall.

[18] The council announced an international competition for the design of the new bus station, to be run by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), and the selection criteria would include a public vote.

In August 2015, New York-based (with offices in London) architecture company John Puttick Associates' entry was chosen as the winning design.

[1] In March 2019, the second and final stage of the project saw the construction of a public square in place of the western bus stands commence, with work completed late that year.

[23] In March 2019 the Preston City Council announced a series of events would take place in the summer and autumn to celebrate the bus station's 50th anniversary.

[24] An exhibit Beautiful and Brutal was held at the Harris Museum from 21 September–24 November 2019,[25] and the public were asked to submit relevant photographs and personal memorabilia, some of which were also displayed at the bus station.

On Saturday 19 October 2019, almost 50 years to the day since its opening on 12 October 1969, festivities were held on the new public square in front of the bus station, which included free public entertainment and three historic buses were provided by the Ribble Vehicle Preservation Trust "so the three main users of the bus station were represented".

[31] The bus station was featured in a two-part television series by Jonathan Meades, Bunkers, Brutalism, Bloodymindedness: Concrete Poetry (2014).