New timetable revealed for £70 million transformation of Peterborough's Station Quarter

Approval for formal plans for the £70 million transformation of Peterborough’s Station Quarter will not be sought until next year, it has been revealed.

Details of a new timetable for the regeneration of the area around the railway station have been provided by Peterborough City Council.

It comes nearly two weeks after the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and the Communities announced a bid for £48 million towards the costs of the Station Quarter development had been approved.

When proposals to develop the area were first aired several years ago, it had been hoped it would be possible to submit a planning application to the council this year.

But a council spokesperson said the first task for the project’s partners, which are the council, the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority and Network Rail, would be to create a business case to put more detail on the proposals and agree which works should be overseen by each partner organisation.

A council spokesperson said this would mean: “An outline business case (OBC) and planning application will be submitted for the Peterborough Station enhancements and connectivity project next year.

"Construction work on the first phase could take place between 2024 and 2026, with wider development of the Station Quarter continuing up to 2028.

He said: “The OBC will be developed as a first task to provide more detail on the scheme and what it will deliver.

“Part of the work of the OBC will be to understand the planning requirements and identify who is best positioned, out of the project partners, to take these forward.”

It is already agreed that central to the project will be the creation of a state-of-the-art station gateway building with a new office park and surrounding retail facilities. The 170-year-old Great Northern Hotel will also be retained.

A key aspect will be a new western entrance to the station – creating a double-sided station – plus associated parking.

Existing car parking areas will be consolidated and there will be the creation of community space.

It is envisaged the development will cut carbon emissions in the county by boosting rail travel and helping cut private vehicle use by its target of 20 per cent.