Worries voiced at £5 million industrial units plan near award-winning Peterborough business hub

Concerns have been voiced about the impact that a planned £5 million industrial units development at an award-winning Peterborough business hub will have on nearby residents.

The alarm has been sounded by Independent Councillor Julie Stevenson, one of the representatives for the Orton Waterville ward, who says she is worried that extra traffic from the development, which will have 115 parking spaces, will cause problems for people in residential streets near the Lynch Wood Business Park.

She is also worried about the appearance of the units, which she says is out of keeping with the Historic England grade II listed Pearl Centre buildings and gardens that occupy a site next to the development area.

The plans have been drawn up by the Lynch Wood Business Park operator FI Real Estate Management (FIREM) and involve the construction of 27 commercial units in six terraces across two court yards on a 1.6 hectare site that has been vacant since the construction of the Pearl Centre in 1996.

The units will range in size from 50 square metres to 460 square metres and will be aimed at small and medium sized businesses and offered on flexible leases and are expected to provide employment for between 125 and 150 people.

Cllr Stevenson said: “I strongly encourage residents of Ortons Wistow, Northgate and Southgate to scrutinise this application and submit comments – for example, you may have concerns about the number of vehicle movements this development is likely to generate.

"This will transform what was an award-winning business park into another industrial estate, with very different traffic type and volume sharing roads with Northgate, the Elder Brook development and the showground development.

"The impact could be huge if the roads aren't up to it.

She added: “This is a set of industrial units which will have a profound effect on the immediate locality and the local area.

"It is of great concern to people here.”

A spokesperson for FIREM said: “As a vibrant business campus, Lynch Wood Park makes an immensely valuable contribution to Peterborough’s economy.

"It is our intention to enhance this further by creating new space for start-ups and growing businesses and serve the needs of the city’s thriving commercial community.

"We have conducted transport modelling as part of the Transport Impact Assessment and this demonstrates the new space is fully supported by the existing road network.

"Indeed, our most recent proposals are expected to generate less traffic than the traditional office proposals for the site, which were of a larger scale.”

In a document with the planning application, which has been submitted to Peterborough City Council, FIREM states the redevelopment of the site will provide a range of commercial units to suit local and national businesses that need a presence in Peterborough.

It adds: “Redevelopment of the site will revitalise this plot in the Lynch Wood Business Park and introduce a high number of new business to the area with the associated gains in business rates, services and knowledge base.

“It will create 125 to 150 jobs.”