Plans to demolish leisure complex to create 54-apartment assisted living building withdrawn as concerns raised

Plans to demolish a disused leisure centre in Castor and replace it with a complex of 54 assisted living apartments have been withdrawn.

County Court Care applied for the facility on land it now leases at Woodlands, on Splash Lane, in January. The Woodlands Leisure Centre closed in 2005 and the company now has control of the 3.87 hectares of the site which surrounds it.

The company has already opened Castor Lodge Care Home on the site, which comprises of 24 assisted living units, an ancillary community hub and a 68-bedroom care home.

Concerns when made, however, when plans for its second facility on the site were submitted.

Among them was Peterborough City Council’s conservation officer Sam Falco, who objected on the basis the scheme would lead to a complete loss of a Non-Designated Heritage Asset. He instead urged those behind the plans to continue to pursue plans approved it 2019 which were for the building itself to be converted into 24 assisted living units.

County Court Care has since this would not be possible due to the building’s state of disrepair and the amount of vandalism.

Cambridgeshire County Council’s Commissioning Manager of People Services, Lynne O’Brien also expressed concerns about the need for the development, stating: “Whilst the Peterborough demand profiles do indicate a need for additional capacity for care home beds and extra care by 2036, Castor has not been highlighted as an area where significant population growth is expected.

"A 68-bed care home already exists in Castor and any additional provision is likely to exacerbate staffing and recruitment.”

Peterborough Highway Services also requested further clarification over a number of issues, such as updating the traffic count provided given the opening of the 68-bed care home, further consideration required on providing bus travel to the site and more accident analysis required from the Peterborough Road/ Splash Lane junction.

Plans can be resubmitted with amendments but these will be considered as a fresh application and the clock will start again on the planning process.

To view the application visit Peterborough City Council’s planning portal (reference 23/00034/FUL)

Also at Woodlands Nene Park Trust is planning a large sports pavilion complex in – with a community sports building, changing rooms and five more new tennis courts.