43 new Peterborough flats for temporary accommodation or social renting due for go ahead

The plans for 43 flats in Bretton Court go before Peterborough City Council’s planning committee on Tuesday.

The application has been submitted by Medesham Homes, a joint venture between the council and housing association Cross Keys Homes.

The plans are recommended for approval by the council’s planning department.

The premises were previously leased by the New Hope Ministries church.

The application seeks approval for the conversion of the upper floors from offices to residential use and the addition of a third floor above the southern element of the building.

The ground floor is currently leased out as shops and offices.

The application has received few objections, with one coming from Peterborough Highways Services as no parking has been allocated for the flats.

However, the council is arguing that there will be less demand for parking than there is currently under the plans.

If approved the flats would be a welcome boost to the council with the Peterborough Telegraph revealing last week that 44 homeless households are being put up in Travelodges which are far more expensive for the authority than housing families in council-owned accommodation.

The spend by Peterborough City Council on temporary accommodation increased from £280,384 in 2015/16 to more than £3.7 million in 2017/18, the last financial year.

The council said an “unprecedented increase” in the number of households presenting themselves as homeless was the cause of the rise.

The number of homeless households in the city rose from 97 in 2015 to 328 two years later which the council said was largely due to welfare reforms and a greater tax burden on landlords.

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