Employers queueing up to get on still-to-be-built business hub at Peterborough

Employers at the rate of one a fortnight are exploring a move to a potential enterprise hub on the edge of Peterborough, say developers.

Companies in search of warehouse space of more than 100,000 square feet are expressing interest in setting up on a still-to-be-approved replacement for the new fully occupied Gateway Peterborough at Alwalton.

Newlands Developments unveiled plans for a second Gateway, to be called A1 West, in April last year with hopes to start building next year.

But more than 12 months later, discussions about the 300 acre site off the northbound side of the A1 junction 17 and adjacent to the A605 are still going on.

Issues to be resolved before a planning application can be brought to committee revolve around highways and transport with officers and councillors from Huntingdonshire District Council, Peterborough City Council and Cambridgeshire County Council all involved.

In addition, the site, which is not allocated for development in Huntingdon’s local plan, which guides development in the district, has triggered opposition from politicians and residents in surrounding villages.

John Barker, development director at Newlands, said it was unlikely that much progress would be made this year.

He said: “However, I will be disappointed if we don’t make more progress between now and the end of the year.

“We have taken on board comments that were made during a public consultation.

“At the moment I am taking about one telephone call every two weeks from companies interested in locating to this area.

“But these are major businesses and they have much more time to play with.

"I am confident that we will get there in the end.”

The new development will deliver approximately 428,000 sqm of employment space and would employ about 5,500 people directly at the site, plus an additional 2,000 jobs created indirectly through spending in the local economy and during construction.

The proposals would boost the local economy by £119 million a year (GVA) and raise about £7 million annual business rates for Huntingdonshire District Council.