Peterborough exceeds new homes target but falls short on affordable housing

In total, 1,145 new homes were built in the city between April 2019 and March 2020, comfortably above Peterborough City Council’s Local Plan target of 942.

However, the number of affordable homes built over the same period was 281 (24.5 per cent). This is below the target of 559 a year, while large developments are expected to be built with at least 30 per cent of the homes classed as affordable.

These are classed as properties which are available at 20 per cent or more below market value.

The majority of new homes built over this period were in newly created developments in Hampton Waters and Gardens (256) and Cardea in Stanground South (162).

RELATED: Peterborough beats housebuilding target - but falls well short on affordable homes

Major developments in Peterborough get go ahead with no affordable homes as city misses out on 2,000 low-cost properties

More homes in Peterborough city centre ‘a benefit’ despite ‘risk’ to quality

Cllr Peter Hiller, cabinet member for strategic planning, commercial strategy and investment, said: “This excellent delivery performance reinforces the confidence we and others have in our city and will go a long way in attracting increased investment from developers, retailers and the Government.

“It comes alongside development of the City Fibre network, regeneration of Fletton Quays, (which will include a new Hilton Garden Inn hotel), the current development of a new multi-million redevelopment of Queensgate Shopping Centre - including a multi-screen Odeon Cinema - and plans for a new university in 2022 to boost the economic prosperity of our young.

“Further growth will mean we will be able to attract more investment to improve the look and feel of our city even further and deliver increased economic prosperity for our residents to make Peterborough an even better place for us all to live, work and relax.”

A council spokeswoman added: “The council is committed to delivering much needed affordable homes across the city, either via agreements with developers or through direct build or purchase of properties itself.

“But the reality is that national government planning policy restricts the council from seeking the full level of affordable housing from developers if developers demonstrate that it would make their development scheme unviable.

“While the council scrutinises such developer claims rigorously, if it is demonstrated that an increase of affordable homes would make the scheme unviable then the council is not permitted by the Government to refuse the development.

“This means that some development schemes are approved without the full amount of affordable homes we would like to see.”

A Peterborough Telegraph investigation earlier this year revealed that since 2015, 21 developments of 15 or more properties have received the green light without needing to deliver any affordable homes.

A further nine also received the go ahead despite missing the city council’s target for 30 per cent affordable home provision.

The decisions potentially deprived the city of 2,000 properties for low-income families.

The latest annual figure for affordable homes - 281 - is an improvement on a previous total of 399 (13 per cent of all new housing) between 2016 and 2019.

Peterborough is expected to see a large increase in city centre homes in future years with a number of residential schemes planned, including at Northminster where the city market is currently based.