High praise for Peterborough’s Nene Park £8 million climbing wall and activity centre

An image of the proposed Climbing Walls planned for Nene Park.

A national planning chief has praised Nene Park Trust for its work to build a £8 million Olympic-grade Climbing Wall.

The trust secured the go ahead from Peterborough City Council in March to build the 34.25 metre high Climbing Wall and centre on the banks of Gunwade Lake in Ferry Meadows.

During a visit to the park, Dr Wei Yang, president of the Royal Town Planning Institute, said: “It is clear to see that planning has played a significant role at Nene Park ensuring that long-term and visionary improvements to the beautiful country park have been delivered in a sympathetic way.

From left, Lynette Swinburne (Savills). Wei Yang (RTPI President), Errin Marshall (Savills), Matthew Bradbury (Nene Park Trust) and Andrew MacDermott (Nene Park Trust)

“Everything is of excellent quality, and the focus on the ecology and the long-lasting legacy is to be applauded.

“Many congratulations to the Nene Park Trust team and Board.

She added: “The climbing centre will be an excellent addition to the site and now the planning permission has been granted, I look forward to seeing it come to fruition.”

Her comments came during a visit to Ferry Meadows organised by commercial agents Savills.

The Climbing Wall will be part of the planned Lakeside Activity Centre.

It will provide a year-round, all-weather indoor activity centre, which will include one of the country’s largest Clip ‘n Climb arenas suitable for all ages.

It will also include a natural-themed indoor toddler play area, an additional café and private hire spaces for community groups.

The centre is expected to create 31 job.

It forms part of the Trust’s 10-year strategy to become the region’s favourite park by creating improved leisure, recreation, cultural and environmental offers for the city all year round.

Lynette Swinburne, Savills planner and regional board member for the institute, said: “Lakeside Activity Centre will offer a contemporary, nature-friendly centre at a time, post-Covid, when health and wellbeing, leisure, sport and play will be so important – especially to families and young people.

“We were delighted to secure a successful outcome to the complex application for the activity centre at the planning committee earlier this year, so it was a privilege to have the opportunity to discuss the exciting plans with the President of the RTPI.”

Go ahead for Climbing Wall in Peterborough’s Ferry Meadows parkland

New plans drawn up for multi-million pound Climbing Wall in Peterborough’s Ferry Meadows park