New call to residents to turn out for crucial East of England Showground planning meeting

A renewed appeal has been made to residents to attend a key Peterborough City Council meeting that could decide the future of the East of England Showground.

The call comes from two councillors who have delivered leaflets to hundreds of homes in the Ortons urging them to attend the council’s Appeals and Planning Review committee on January 13 to review a decision by the planning committee on October 15 to reject outline plans to build 650 homes on part of the Showground site.

The review was prompted by four councillors who ‘called in’ the refusal decision so it could be reconsidered.

However, a separate outline planning application to build 850 homes, a leisure village, school, hotel and care village on land adjoining the first site was approved by the same planning committee.

The just-delivered leaflets call for a stop to the ‘over development’ of the Showground and to’ save our speedway’ and ‘save our green open space’.

Councillor Julie Stevenson said: “Cllr Nicola Day and I have produced a leaflet together that we've delivered to homes in Ortons Northgate, Southgate and some of Brimbles.

"We are encouraging as many local residents as possible to attend the planning appeal meeting on January 13.”

The councillors state: “It is not okay that councillors who do not represent our area are trying to overturn the planning committee’s decision and we will fight to represent you and protect your homes, our community, our green space, our speedway and our showground.

They add: “This isn’t about party politics.

“We are united in representing, supporting and defending the way of life that you have worked hard to build here.”

"We believe the decision to reject the additional 650 homes was correct.

“The decision came at the end of a six hour meeting where committee members heard from us, representatives of local residents and the applicant.

"It was to our great dismay when we learned that four city councillors, none of whom represent this area, took the decision to use council procedure to request the decision on the 650 homes be reconsidered.”

The applications were submitted by AEPG and prompted protests about the loss of open land, the end of public events including speedway racing.