Embankment temporary car park plans approved despite concerns over loss of green space

A temporary 128-space car park has been approved by members of Peterborough City Council Planning and Environmental Protection Committee

The car park – which only has temporary approval status for a period of five years – will replace the old, existing car park, which is also 128 spaces in size.

Peterborough City Councillor case officer, Asif Ali, told planning committee members: “The site is a piece of open land located to the south of Bishops Road and is part of The Embankment.

“It is intended to serve the regional pool and enable the University of Peterborough development.”

Objections were received by 25 people, among whose concerns were the loss of green space, the saving of historic trees, with the additional traffic and noise pollution also mentioned.

He added: “One important point that was raised by objectors is that Peterborough, as a city, continues to promote itself as an eco-city, yet it encourages the use of the car on a green open space site.

“No other officers raised any objections however the archaeological officer did say that past trial trenching had shown indications of a prehistoric field system at Fengate, and that the site was traditionally a historic public open space used since the 19th Century.”

Officer recommendations were for the approval of the application for the temporary car park and also for the permanent multi-storey structure.

During the debate however, councillor Christian Hogg raised the point that several of the existing car parks that surround the Embankment, such as the Bishops Road and existing regional pool car park, are not fully utilised, adding: “I see no evidence in this planning application that the number ‘128’ is specifically required for parking at this site.

“If, as I understand it, this is only a temporary parking facility which will have to be returned to the way it was originally after the five years are up, then why do we need so many spaces when it has been shown that the existing car parks are underutilised?”

Mr Ali replied: “The figure of 128 spaces has been included in the application as this was the number indicated following a survey of car park use in Peterborough carried out in the summer of 2021.”

Members voted by majority (8 votes for, 2 votes against) to approve the application for the temporary car park.

The application for the permanent, 128-space, multi-storey car park was approved unanimously.

No indication was given of when the project will break ground however, after the meeting Mr Ali said that the spaces would be open to the public for all to use, and he expected that the multi-storey project would commence within one year of the temporary car park being completed.

By Local Democracy Reporting Service.