Developer behind Peterborough's North Westgate says he is still pushing on with his plans despite council leader's 'sell up' call

The developer looking to transform Peterborough’s North Westgate says he is still working to achieve his vision despite a call from the city council leader to ‘sell up’.

Peter Breach, chairman of Hawksworth Securities, which owns more than 50 per cent of the North Westgate regeneration zone, said: “We are still actively involved in advancing our scheme for North Westgate.”

His comments come after Councillor Wayne Fitzgerald, the leader of Peterborough City Council, announced he was frustrated that after almost 30 years the transformation of North Westgate had not been achieved.

He wants the council to drive the development and says the area’s landowners can sell at a fair price or face Compulsory Purchase Orders.

Mr Breach said: “It is a disgrace that after all these years, North Westgate has still not been developed but we are still looking to co-operate with the council on this – the sooner we can all get our heads together on this, the sooner we can go ahead with it.”

Mr Breach secured outline planning approval for a £150 million hotel, shop, accommodation and offices scheme in 2018.

But that permission elapsed on November 29, 2021 after he failed to submit ‘reserved matters’, which are details of how the development will work, to the council.

And a collaboration agreement between the council and Hawksworth Securities for the development of the site was terminated by the local authority in 2020.

Mr Breach said: "Our previous plans were for a retail and leisure-led development but we have changed that now to a more residential-led scheme, with other uses included.”

He said: “This was why we let the outline planning approval of 2018 lapse as those plans became of no use given various changes in the market.

"We are still the best partner for the council to achieve North Westgate – we have a track record of being very active.”

Cllr Fitzgerald says he is writing to landowners asking them to sell up to allow the local authority to lead the transformation.

However, owning more than 50 per cent of the site puts Hawksworth Securities in a strong position to resist a CPO.

When councillors considered the use of CPOs for North Westgate three years ago, officers looked at various options, included one titled ‘Pursue a CPO to acquire Hawksworth assets.’

A report to councillors warned: “Hawksworth would be expected to resist any CPO of their interest.

"As 50% site owners and given their willingness to progress a comprehensive scheme, which the Council has supported through both the planning consent and the resolution to enter

the Collaboration Agreement, this would have little prospect of success, given the existing principal landowner of the site (Hawksworth) being ready and willing to develop in co-operation with the Council.”

It is understood that Hawksworth Securities has spent a six figure sum on the North Westgate development plans over the last few years but that number runs into seven figures over the 20 plus years the company has been involved with the site.