'Sell up' challenge issued to landowners as Peterborough City Council looks to force regeneration of North Westgate

Landowners in the North Westgate regeneration zone are to be told by the leader of Peterborough City Council to ‘sell up at a fair price or face compulsory purchase.’

The ultimatum comes from Councillor Wayne Fitzgerald who says the saga of so many unsuccessful attempts over three decades to develop the prime seven hectare city centre site has gone on for too long.

He said: “The only way to progress it is for us to take control and make it happen.”

His comments have been triggered by the collapse of the most recent attempt to develop the site by Hawksworth Securities, which managed to secure outline planning approval for a £150 million hotel, shop, accommodation and offices scheme in 2018.

But that permission elapsed on November 29, 2021 after the failure by the developer to submit ‘reserved matters’, which are details of how the development will work, to the council.

It was also revealed that a collaboration agreement between the council and Hawksworth Securities for the development of the partially derelict site had been terminated by the local authority in 2020.

In his column in this week’s Peterborough Telegraph, Cllr Fitzgerald states: “I am frustrated with the lack of action to redevelop this important city centre site.

"I shall be writing to all the landowners at North Westgate, inviting them to reach a satisfactory sale of the land to us, if that is the best way to see positive progression.

"However, the council will consider all legal steps available to them which may include the use of compulsory purchase powers, if necessary to be able to see this through.”

And speaking to the Peterborough Telegraph, Cllr Fitzgerald added: “We will use Compulsory Purchase Orders if need be but I would rather people came to the table and agree a settlement.”

There are numerous landowners involved with the regeneration site.

The largest is thought to be Hawksworth Securities which has been trying to develop the site since 2003. Others include Invesco, which owns the neighbouring Queensgate Shopping Centre, and then owners of properties in streets such as Lincoln Road and Cromwell Road.

Cllr Fitzgerald also revealed that the local authority had been ‘soft market testing’ North Westgate to investors in a bid to find the best companies to develop the land.

He said: “We are looking for a developer with deep pockets and a track record of delivery."

The council recently put in place a new senior officer team with access to quality experience of delivering complex, high profile regeneration schemes.

Cllr Fitzgerald said: “We are now turning our attention to selecting the best development partners, and the right sequence of sites to bring forward, as well as looking at innovative use of our statutory powers to help achieve the best possible outcomes.

“I am hoping that in five years’ time we will have a stunning regeneration of North Westgate.”