Hopes for green light soon for homes plan for former homeless centre in Peterborough Cathedral grounds

Plans have been drawn up to convert a former refuge for homeless people in Peterborough into a number of townhouses.

The proposals involve creating eight town houses on the site of the Garden House in Minster Precincts.

The Garden House used to be the base for the Light Project Peterborough, which worked with homeless people, providing support, friendship and a place to stay.

Lioncross Properties, which is also developing the former Whitworth Mill at Fletton Quays, has submitted a planning application to Peterborough City Council for the Garden House project.

The property is in the north-west corner of the Cathedral Precincts and was once part of the Deanery gardens.

Director Michael Craddock said: "The scheme is for period style town houses and we are trying to reflect other buildings around there.

"The application has been with the council for some time.

"We have had to make a few tweaks to the plans along the way.

"The development will be of two terraces of four houses each with rooms in the lofts and it looks stunning.

"Officers had pushed us to make the buildings higher to obscure Midgate House. We did that but the officers didn’t like that and we had to reduce the height by about two-and-a-half metres.

“It has taken ages to get this sorted and meanwhile we’ve had a lot of problems with people breaking into the building.

He added: “But we are hoping to get on with this as soon as possible.”

The Light Project moved to Archdeaconry House in 2021.