Letter: Come on Peterborough - our Embankment is under threat

We the ‘People of Peterborough’ own the River Embankment! This wonderful open green area which serves as a flood plain as well as a recreational facility for exercise, walking and occasional entertainment is under threat from our own council. They who should be representing our interests are working very hard to not even consult us concerning their intentions.

Already last summer we had the planning permission procedures for the first phase of the proposed ‘built to rent’ university pushed through with no previous public consultation. I went around many of the houses in the Bishops Road area and about 80% of the people I spoke to were against it but did not know how to object do to it being dealt with by an IT system.

Under the screen of Covid 19 the council gave themselves permission to proceed and we now have a full on building site in action on the old Wirrina car park site. No doubt the contractor was forced to buy a ‘Considerate Contractor Certificate’ off the council, so that’s ok then. We now have the university first phase being built but I think the planning permissions for the second phase (the main buildings) are still to be actioned. Watch out for these and object if you wish it stopped. It would be interesting if the second phase was not given planning consent and the council was stuck with a gatehouse and a carpark. We could call it the Wirrina Carpark and get back on with our lives.

This week on TV I saw that the council had sold the football stadium back to a business consortium so they can re-sell it as a building plot for more housing in an already tightly congested area. Of course the football team will have no home, so they can have our river embankment, ‘Job Done’.

This is gross ‘Big Brother’ and totally undemocratic. We have never been consulted and this will affect so many of our lives in the future.

I understand the football club members had a vote on the stadium relocation and there was a big ‘yes’ to the embankment for the new site. What about the residents of Peterborough, why didn’t we get a say? It is like your neighbour’s family voting to build their garage in your garden.

To the People of Peterborough: write into the council and let them know your views and each time a planning consent request for this area is announced send in your agreement, comments or objections.

To the council: canvass public opinion and give us a vote on this. Show us your overall embankment scheme plan, have proper meetings and consider our wishes. You never consulted us in the first place so why force this on us? We own the embankment and you act for us! Never forget that.

I understand there is now a Facebook site for objectors to this scheme with over 1000 members. I myself am not an IT/facebook fan but those that are get connected and tell us non computer types the score. We need to object, our voices should be heard.

Andrew Cole

Peterborough