Controversial plan for future development of Peterborough approved

The city’s new Local Plan was agreed by city councillors last week which sets out how Peterborough will build 19,440 new homes between 2016 and 2036.

The Local Plan originally included 2,500 homes in countryside near Castor and Ailsworth which enraged residents and prompted a huge campaign that ultimately proved successful.

Residents (and councillors) in Eye were also furious that land for 250 new homes was set aside for the village despite complaints of a lack of infrastructure.

RELATED: Peterborough told it no longer needs to provide thousands of homes for neighbouring Cambridgeshire councils

Victory for campaigners as controversial 2,500 homes development near Castor and Ailsworth is scrapped

Leader of Peterborough City Council Cllr John Holdich said: “Peterborough is the fifth fastest growing city in the UK and is expected to grow by 19,400 homes by 2036. It is therefore imperative that we have a properly considered and well structured Local Plan to ensure development is located in the right places with the necessary infrastructure in place to support this rapid growth and in the best interests of our city and its existing communities.

“Developing this plan has involved making some challenging decisions along the way, but I believe the result offers a compromise that has stood up to detailed scrutiny by a planning inspector, giving us confidence it is right and robust.”

The proposed new homes near the Castor Hanglands nature reserve were scrapped after the council claimed a change made by the Government in calculating future housing provision meant the 2,500 new homes were no longer needed.

Moreover, an agreement made by the city council to build 2,500 homes for neighbouring authorities in Cambridgeshire was also stopped after a ruling by the Planning Inspectorate who signed off n the Local Plan.

The agreement was made in 2013 and would have seen an average of 125 built a year for 20 years.

The new plan also includes building on average 40 homes a year for students attending the new University of Peterborough from 2021 to 2036.

Peter Hiller, council cabinet member for strategic planning and commercial strategy and investments, said: “I would like to thank everyone involved in preparing this successful plan, including the many thousands of residents who took the time to offer their thoughts and suggestions during the wide-ranging consultation stages - this commentary really helped to shape the final submission.

“I would also like to congratulate our very talented planning officers who have worked tirelessly in the past three years to update and finalise this plan. Their expertise and skill is evident in the fact that they are now supporting other councils to complete their local plans, including Fenland District Council, to generate an income for the council which we are using to provide services.

“This is just one of the many ways we are being more commercial as a council, sharing our staff, selling our services, making maximum revenue from rental and generating income whenever we can to be able to balance our books and continue to provide front-line services to the residents of our city.”

To view the new Local Plan, visit www.peterborough.gov.uk.