Plans to redevelop Peterborough’s Showground to go on public display

Plans to redevelop the Showground with new homes and community facilities will go on public display later this month.
Truckfest at the East of England ShowgroundTruckfest at the East of England Showground
Truckfest at the East of England Showground

The East of England Agricultural Society (EEAS) will be holding a public exhibition on Thursday, September 19 from 3pm to 8pm at the Marketing Suite.

Speculation has grown in the past 24 hours about the development of the site, but yesterday bosses insisted that it will be business as usual for the foreseeable future.

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Peterborough’s Local Plan has proposed the building of hundreds of new homes at the Showground - although the arena itself would stay.

RELATED: Business as usual at Peterborough’s East of England Showground despite speculation over its future

The plans would not be put into place until the late 2020s at the earliest.

The Peterborough Panthers speedway team has also said it expects to be racing at the venue for many years.

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Truckfest, The East of England Show, the Tour of Cambridgeshire cycle race and Firework Fantasia are just some of the events which take place there.

Now, the EEAS and development partner Endurance Estates will be in attendance at the upcoming exhibition to discuss the future of the Showground and answer any questions. Feedback forms will also be available for comments.

Richard Bramley, chairman of the East of England Agricultural Society, said: “We are delighted to be holding a public exhibition as we continue to engage with

Peterborough City Council’s Local Plan process. We look forward to meeting residents, councillors and community stakeholders.

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“Public consultation will enable the society to understand community views on the new homes and affordable homes and how the society can continue to promote agriculture and rural life in the East of England whilst undertaking a sensitive development of new homes and affordable homes on the Showground in partnership with Endurance Estates.

“For now, it is very much ‘business as usual’ at the Showground – the redevelopment of the Showground will take a number of years to plan and agree with Peterborough City Council before any work starts on site.

“The society, Showground and other key stakeholders are committed to the future of the business and maintaining the events that are hosted on the Showground. We are working together on plans to host these events beyond the eventual development of the current Showground site.

“The Showground will remain fully operational until at least the end of 2022, with all facilities open for business until that point.

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“From 2023 onwards it is likely there will be a phased withdrawal of facilities at the Showground over a number of years starting from the edges of the Showground.

“The phased withdrawal of facilities at the Showground will enable the redevelopment of the site. While one part of the Showground is being redeveloped facilities on other parts of the Showground will remain open.”

Tim Holmes, managing director of Endurance Estates, said: “We are very pleased to be supporting EEAS at the forthcoming public exhibition on new homes and affordable homes along with landscaped public open space on the Showground, and to be the society’s partner during a period when the agricultural sector is undergoing dramatic change and as the society refocuses its support on the region’s food and farming industries.”