Hundreds voice concerns and opinions at plans to transform Peterborough's historic Westgate

More than 300 people have voiced opinions and concerns about plans to transform an historic part of Peterborough.

The huge response has been triggered by proposals to convert the Beales store and nearby buildings in Westgate into 125 apartments of various sizes plus a range of retail units.

About 370 comments have been received by Peterborough City Council in response to plans drawn up by Panther (VAT) Properties, owners of the site which is a Peterborough City Centre Conservation Area and contains a mix of 19th century and 20th century buildings.

The proposals are currently being assessed by council planning officers before being put before councillors in the near future who will decide whether to approve or reject the scheme.

The plans propose the living accommodation should be a mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments.

There will also be about 503 square metres of office space with about 344 square metres devoted to retail, café and restaurant uses.

There will also be new-look public open spaces and some changes to access arrangements.

Many of the public responses are critical of the proposed development.

A number of comments refer to the ‘overdevelopment of the site’ and that the with the growth of online shopping, extra retail units are not needed in the city centre.

One critic observes: "Peterborough is just becoming flat and houses with very little fun to do."

The Westgate plans have already triggered concerns landlord of the nearby Ostrich Inn, in North Street.

Landlord of the 185-year old pub, Graham Finding, has claimed a noise assessment of the late night music at his pub wrongly found the noise level emanating from the venue was low.

He is demanding a new test and says the current findings will only mean upset and annoyance for future residents of the flats if suitable noise reduction measures are not installed in the new buildings.

His claims have been supported by the council’s own environment and pollution officer and Peterborough MP Paul Bristow.

But many nearby residents agree although one person in North Street stated: “The noise is not a nuisance and I’ve never heard anyone complain.

And another states: “The pub is a real gem in the city centre. Do we really need more flats?”

Deputy leader of the council, Councillor Steve Allen has also added a objection.

He states: “To say that no noise mitigation measures would be required for the proposed residential development in an area of the city centre where clearly there is a popular and well established music venue close-by, often operating past midnight, on the basis of the current assessment is clearly short sighted.

"Residential developments in city centre areas clearly must cohabit with the activities of the night-time economy but measures should be in place to allow peaceful habitation and that means efficient sound exclusion as part of the planning permission and applied building regulations.”

Another objector warns: “This development will further ruin our already diminished city centre, whilst also will lead to noise complaints and eventual closure of the nearby pub.”