Horsey Bridge: Councillors approve controversial development in second vote

An application to build a major business park in Stanground has been approved by Peterborough City Council (PCC).

Members of the council’s planning committee voted unanimously to allow the development to be built at Horsey Bridge off Whittlesey Road.

The committee had previously rejected the proposal, brought by developers Barnack Estates UK, at a meeting in March.

But it was brought back to them with new advice from council officers as well as legal advice contained in a report seen by councillors but exempt from public viewing.

Usual planning committee chair Cllr Chris Harper (Peterborough First, Stanground South) didn’t oversee the debate and subsequent vote, but rather spoke against it alongside fellow ward councillors Cllr Ray Bisby (Peterborough First, Stanground South) and Cllr Brian Rush (Peterborough First, Stanground).

Councillor Harper said that approving the development will “open the door to more predatory applications” because “this administration has failed to notice the shortage of employment land”.

One of the developer’s arguments in favour of the business park, which would comprise around 20 buildings, has been that there is very little land designated for industrial uses left in Peterborough and as such allowances should be made for proposals of this type.

Cllr Rush, meanwhile, said that the archaeology at the site, which contains evidence of Bronze Age and Iron Age settlements, is of “national importance” and that the committee has “one chance” to save it.

Speaking on the behalf of developers, agent Kate Wood said that the proposals have been updated to reflect ward councillors’ concerns and that most of the 200+ public objections to the scheme were made before later updates.

She also said that the development would help create 412 permanent jobs and help growth in Peterborough.

There are also more than 40 conditions attached to approval, put in place by PCC officers, relating to archaeology traffic and the development’s impact on the local area, among other concerns, she pointed out.

Ms Wood referred in her speech to councillors’ previous refusal of the scheme as being “potentially unlawful”, but Cllr Peter Hiller (Peterborough First, Glinton and Castor) insisted that it’s “incorrect” to say that the committee got it wrong last time.

Officers’ interpretation of local planning policy has changed, he said, and the committee has been updated with new information and evidence since then.

He also described the legal arguments in the exempt report as “cogent” and “compelling”.

Cllr Christian Hogg (Liberal Democrats, Fletton and Stanground) said that he still has concerns over the extra traffic that could potentially be brought to the road by the development but that he was assured by officers that if any issues arise they’ll be addressed at a later stage.

The application is an outline application, meaning specifics of design are yet to be agreed, although access from the A605 has been approved.

Councillors also acknowledged that building at Horsey Bridge has proven contentious.

Cllr Ishfaq Hussain (Dogsthorpe, Conservatives) declared an interest related to the application as the founder of Barnack Estates, Rob Facer, is president of Peterborough Conservatives Association, of which he is a member.

Cllr Hiller said that it’s been “well-aired in the media there’ve been political concerns over donations”, while Cllr Lindsay Sharp (Conservatives, Hampton Vale) described the whole matter as “sensitive”.

Three councillors who have resigned from the Conservative group mentioned Horsey Bridge among their reasons for doing so.

Two of them, Cllrs Rush and Cllr Bisby attended the meeting to oppose the application.

The application having been approved, the next step is that the developers must submit more detailed design plans to the council for approval.