Plans approved for demolition of former homeless centre and construction of homes in Peterborough Cathedral grounds
The Garden House was most recently occupied by a homelessness charity
Plans have been approved to demolish a former homeless centre and build eight new homes within the Peterborough Cathedral grounds.
The Garden House, a 1930s building located in Minster Precincts, was formerly occupied by cathedral choristers and most recently by the Light Project Peterborough, a registered charity set up to provide support to homeless people.
In April 2021, the charity moved its base to Archdeaconry House on Gravel Walk, a building also on the cathedral grounds.
Applicant Lioncross Peterborough plans to demolish the Garden House building, described as being in “poor condition”, and build eight new homes in two terraces of four units.
The proposed homes are to be three-storey, four-bedroom dwellings, apart from those on the western and eastern ends which will be two storeys with three bedrooms.
As part of the planning application, Eddisons, on behalf of the applicant, wrote: “The proposed development will provide a high quality scheme that contributes positively to the historic character and appearance of the area and provides eight useful family dwellings.
“The development of the site will continue to contribute to this tranquil and private part of the wider cathedral precincts, continuing to provide a transition between the ecclesiastical character surrounding the cathedral and the busy city centre beyond the site to the north.”
The site is allocated for residential development of up to 25 units, but the applicant reduced the number of proposed homes to eight when considering its position within a historic setting.
Commenting on the application, The Gardens Trust wrote: “Whilst we remain concerned at the mass of built form in a historic garden enclosure, we accept that the public benefit of the proposed development outweighs the harm, at the lower end of less than substantial harm.”
Historic England offered no objection and wrote: “We accept that the scheme would require demolition of the curtilage listed Garden House, which we consider makes a neutral contribution to the Precincts Registered Park and Garden and the character or appearance of the City Conservation Area.
“Consequently, we do not have a fundamental objection to the current proposals for eight dwellings.
“Our acceptance is, however, subject to the prerequisite that there is clear and convincing justification for the replacement development and that it would be of a contextually appropriate height, massing and detailed design.”
City council planners approved the application on Friday, February 7. Construction must begin at the site within three years.