Multi-million pound development plans for East of England Showground take major step forward

Outline planning applications for the proposed redevelopment of the 165 acre site at Oundle Road, Alwalton, have now been listed for consideration by Peterborough City Council with the public invited to submit their views ahead of a decision on the application by councillors.

The development proposal, which was first unveiled by the Showground promoter AEPG (Asset Earning Power Group) in 2021, has been split into two separate outline planning applications.

The first application seeks permission for the principle of the construction up to 850 homes plus a care village of up to 3.27 hectares with mixed use leisure facilities including conferencing, a 250-bed hotel, plus health, retail and eating and drinking establishment uses, a primary school as well as car parking and associated open space and infrastructure.

If approved these would be built on the section of the Showground that is mostly grass with areas of car parking present and that features the Arena, function suites and exhibition buildings and cattle sheds. AEPG has previously said that the care village would cost about £50 million to construct and that it was expected to create about 500 jobs.

The second application seeks the go ahead to build up to 650 homes with associated open space and infrastructure. This site features the Grandstand, currently the home of Peterborough Speedway, and the offices of AEPG and the Agricultural Society.

The Peterborough Local Plan for 2016-2036 states that 650 homes on the Showground is an acceptable development. It is thought that if the entire development is approved, construction will take a decade to complete.

A document submitted with the applications also states extensive public consultation has been carried out and views expressed have been worked into the designs.

It states: “The first community engagement, stakeholder surveys and public consultation were carried out in 2019 and comments have been fed back into the design process and resulted in new scheme proposals by 2022.”

It adds: “In advance of submitting a new application, and as part of the design development process, the applicant wanted to understand the views of local residents and other stakeholders on the new proposals. Flyers were prepared in mid-November 2022 to advertise two well attended drop-in days.”

The Showground has been used by the East of England Agricultural Society since 1966 for its annual agricultural shows but from 2012 attendances declined.

In 2019 the site was allocated for development, and in 2020 the society announced its intention to leave and promote the land for development. In 2021 it was announced AEPG had entered into a land promotion agreement with the society to develop and enhance the 165 acre Showground site with a leisure-led mixed use development that includes housing.

The large-scale public events traditionally held at the Showground have now ceased. In order to secure revenue during the development of the Showground, AEPG has allowed DHL to operate a car storage depot from the site. A retrospective planning application for this change of use has still to be considered by councillors.

An urgent call has gone out to Peterborough residents to make their views known about the plans. Councillor Julie Stevenson, one of the ward councillors for the area, said: “This is a key stage in a long process and I encourage residents to get involved as much as they can to ensure that the development is the best it can possibly be.

"After all, it is those of us that live here that truly understand the implications for local amenities such as schools and doctors, safety of local roads and density of housing.”

The proposed development will also leave the speedway team Peterborough Panthers, which has been at the Showground for more than 50 years, looking for a new race track. Cllr Stevenson said: “We must fight for a new home for our speedway team. Peterborough Panthers have been a treasured part of Peterborough's cultural scene for over half a century. We're at risk of losing them entirely if the council doesn't step in to help.”

Cllr Stevenson added: “While it's good that residents finally have an opportunity to review the outline plans and provide comments, the timing is frustrating. The documents appeared on the council's planning portal on August bank holiday Monday.

"A significant number of people with an interest in the plans will still be on holiday so their opportunity to digest the plans and comment will be limited.”

Despite Cllr Stevenson’s concerns a number of residents have already begun to submit comments through the planning portal.

One resident stateds: “Not only is it one of the only places in the city that offers all sorts of types of entertainment, it's removal must have an impact on the local businesses in the Orton area.

"But the worse thing is that this will destroy a much loved speedway team, which has been very successful over the years and the city should be proud of!”

And another resident states: “The planning application does not give any consideration to improving existing access points from Oundle Road or Dunblane Drive.

"850 dwellings and associated other buildings will likely increase local road traffic by 1,700 plus vehicles.

"It is a badly thought out plan that has not taken into consideration existing local residents and the effect that increased traffic flow will have.”

The number of houses proposed is a puzzle to another objector who also queries how medical services are going to be provided.

A council spokesperson said: "All of the infrastructure needs, that are generated by the development, will need to be provided by the developer. This may include health, as well as education, highways, green space, affordable housing, and biodiversity.

"The infrastructure providers will be consulted, once the applications are valid, and invited to confirm their infrastructure needs forward. This will then be negotiated with the developer."