Councils asks residents where you’d like to see new developments in the city

Peterborough residents will be asked for their views on future housing developments and business parks in the city in a wide–ranging survey.

The questionnaire, consisting of 45 questions, will be published next month and inform Peterborough’s new Local Plan (LP).

This is a document setting out the city’s planning policies as well as the land designated for new houses, shops, parks, leisure facilities and more.

Peterborough City Council (PCC) began work on its new LP in January.

The current one, finalised in 2019, will remain in force until it’s complete in 2026.

LPs are usually updated every five years, but PCC has started the exercise sooner – partly because land designated for use by businesses has run out.

This has already had an impact on planning decisions in the city: councillors are being urged to approve a new industrial park at Horsey Bridge in Stanground which lies outside the LP.

The land isn't currently earmarked for building work but the lack of anywhere else available counts in its favour, PCC says.

This proposal will return to the council's planning committee on Tuesday, 27th June, for a second vote, having initially been rejected in March.

At the same meeting, councillors will be asked to comment on the questionnaire before consultation officially opens in July.

What kinds of questions will be survey include?

Questions range from the general, such as “should the Local Plan include a policy about city centre building heights?”, to the very specific, such as “do you agree or disagree with the need for an Urban Extension policy?”.

The interactive survey will include background information to help explain the more technical questions and residents are re-assured that they don’t have to answer every question or indeed every sub-question; many have multiple parts, just answer what interests you.

There are also questions on whether the number of new takeaways should be restricted, how long you’d be prepared to walk to an open space (in minutes) and how many houses should be built each year in and around Peterborough (the council proposes around 950, in line with Government requirements).

What the questionnaire won't include is proposed building sites; the council says: "We haven’t decided any of this. Far from it.”

Council asking for suggestions of sites suitable for development

Running alongside the questionnaire is a call-out for suggestions of sites appropriate for development, whether that be for housing, industrial parks, shops, leisure facilities, Gypsy and Traveller sites or cemeteries.

This call out is open to all residents, but also to local agents, developers and landowners.

The results of this, and the public consultation, will help form a draft of the new LP, which will be published in around a year’s time and form the basis of the council’s second round of public consultation.

There’ll then be a third round in 2025 before the LP's adoption in early 2026.

While the LP will continue to be reviewed every few years, the new version will run until 2044 if adopted.

The first questionnaire will be circulated after it's been approved at the council's next cabinet meeting on 10th July.

It will run until 15th September.