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Werrington: Car park deal boost for store
PLANS for Peterborough City Council to build a new community car park have been pushed through after fears that delays could throw the future of a £12 million shopping centre regeneration into doubt.
PLANS for Peterborough City Council to build a new community car park have been pushed through after fears that delays could throw the future of a 12 million shopping centre regeneration into doubt.The city council's Planning and Environmental Protection Committee met on Tuesday and agreed for the authority to build the car park at Werrington.
Supermarket giant Tesco plans to build a large new store at the Werrington Centre, in Staniland Way. Its car park is currently used free by the commmunity, but plans for usage following the redevelopment are unclear.
The existing car park is owned by Howard Property Group, who have an arrangement with Tesco. As a condition of planning permission for the new store, Tesco put up cash to create a new 80 to 100 space car park for community use.
This money will now be used by the council to build the car park on land near Werrington Bowls Club, off Stimpson Walk, for visitors to the nearby library, sports centre and Ken Stimpson Community School.
A wrangle over several options for the car park led to fears that work on the new Tesco - due to begin in March - could be delayed.
To push the development on, councillors voted to accept an option which will see Tesco give the council 177,000 to build the car park - leaving the council to find a further 80,000 from its budget.
Werrington Cllr Steve Lane said: "I'm happy. I want to see the centre built and buzzing with shoppers."
However, some were concerned that the cash shortfall could cause problems. There were also worries over the fact that HPG are not required to keep spaces in the existing car park free for community use while work is carried out on the new facility.
Chairman of Werrington Neighbourhood Council David Hedges said: "It's incumbent on the city council to build the car park within the next few months. Without the provision, teachers and some pupils will be without a parking facility, together with users of the library, bowls club and sports centre."
HPG's agent Mark Mann said the firm would allow community use but would not enter a "binding" agreement to hold spaces while the new car park was built.
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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