New park for city centre is planned

A ‘Thorpe Meadows gateway park’ between the rowing lake and Town Bridge is just one of 15 projects under discussion.

The trust’s board of trustees will approve the projects later this year with a fundraising campaign needed to bring the plans to reality.

The improvements are part of a new Master Plan for the Park - a Trust overview of its projects up until 2050

Details are currently limited, but Matthew Bradbury, the trust’s chief executive, said the gateway project is “an opportunity for those that do not want to walk or cycle to Ferry Meadows to enjoy a ‘microcosm of the wider park’ closer to the city centre.

He added: “There is much to discuss with Peterborough City Council as the owners and current managers of the land involved.

“We are very aware too that there is no immediately obvious source of funding for such a project and therefore practical public support and a fundraising campaign would be necessary before such a project could even begin.”

The proposals for a gateway park were revealed by Peterborough MP Stewart Jackson in his weekly Peterborough Telegraph column.

He said the trust’s ambition shows it is “at the heart of the community for all the city and making it a fantastic place, to live, work and play.”

The trust has spent six months developing its plan and has enjoyed “really positive early discussions with potential partners,” according to Mr Bradbury.

A council spokesman said: “We will continue to work closely with trust on their future plans and understand the gateway park idea is still in the very early stages.”