Fresh plans to demolish former homeless centre in Peterborough Cathedral grounds to create new homes

Fresh plans have been submitted to demolish a former refuge for the homeless in the grounds of Peterborough Cathedral to create new homes.

The Garden House was formerly occupied by Cathedral choristers and was also formerly an office associated with the Cathedral but has most recently been used by the Light Project Peterborough, a charity that provides support of the homeless in Peterborough.

As of 2022, the charity relocated its activities to Archdeaconry House on Gravel Walk, a building also on the cathedral grounds.

The Garden House is allocated for residential development under the city’ local plan for 25 units but proposals from Lioncross Properties, which is also developing the former Whitworth Mill at Fletton Quays, are for eight new homes split in two terraces of four.

These would be three storeys high, apart from plots one, eight and nine which would be two-storey to facilitate key views towards the Cathedral.

The five three-storey homes would have four bedrooms with the remaining three having three.

The building is not listed in its own right but is Curtilage Listed due to its age, having been constructed in the 1930s and its location to a listed asset, the Cathedral.

Permission would therefore be required before it could be demolished, as stated in plans, but plans also state that structural cracking has been identified and that the building is in poor condition.

The application states: “The proposed dwellings have been designed in a traditional style, with forms and detailing which replicate those typically utilised for traditional existing dwellings within the Precincts.

"This has been carefully considered to ensure that the dwellings are appropriate for their conservation area location.

"The proposed development will provide a high quality scheme that contributes positively to the historic character and appearance of the area and provides eight useful family dwellings.

“The development of the site will continue to contribute to this tranquil and private part of the wider cathedral precincts, continuing to provide a transition between the ecclesiastical character surrounding the cathedral and the busy city centre beyond the site to the north.”

The existing access and parking arrangements would be maintained.

The application can be viewed on Peterborough City Council’s planning portal using reference 23/01716/LBC.