Lynch Wood Park: Plans for 32 new workspaces approved despite claims it's 'wrong design in the wrong place'

Plans to add more than 30 new workspaces to a Peterborough business park have been approved.

Peterborough City Council (PCC) granted permission for 32 “employment units” to be built at Lynch Wood Park on the outskirts of the city at a meeting this week.

The units will be made up of offices as well as spaces for research and development and light industrial use.

Local councillors raised concerns that this would change the nature of the business park to an industrial park.

Addressing the council's planning committee meeting, Cllr Nicola Day (Greens, Orton Waterville) said the plans were “markedly out-of-character with the area” and that residents are concerned about “increased traffic, noise and potential increased environmental pollution”.

Cllr Julie Stevenson (Independent, Orton Waterville) added that “all three ward councillors and all 13 parish councillors” are against the application and that there was insufficient consultation with residents in the Ortons.

Peterborough Civic Society says the scheme is "the wrong design in the wrong place" and that its risks damaging Lynch Wood's quality by allowing "a semi-industrial scheme to be built on a designated office park".

Speaking on behalf of the applicant, FI Real Estate Management, planning agent Peter Campbell said that the new units haven’t been designed to accommodate HGV access or general industrial uses, but rather will only have uses compatible with operating in a residential area.

He added that the company has “done all we can to take cues from the surrounding area” to ensure the units are in keeping with the rest of the business park and that it’s screened by trees on every side.

Agent Emily Armstrong said that the project has the potential to generate £5m investment from construction alone and support around 125 jobs.

FI Real Estate Management also redesigned its proposals to reduce the overall space the units will take up as well as their height, which will now be a maximum of three stories.

PCC officers said conditions attached to approval of the scheme will allow them to take enforcement action against any business carrying out heavy industrial works on the site that impacts neighbours.

Councillors say there’s a need for flexible workspace

PCC’s planning committee agreed that the company had made an effort to allay local residents’ and ward councillors’ concerns.

Cllr Christian Hogg (Liberal Democrats, Fletton and Stanground) said FI Real Estate Management had made “substantial changes” to their designs and that conditions attached to planning permission will help ensure the area remains quiet.

“If it’s left without this permission, what else could come forward that may be not quite so respectful?” he added.

Cllr Dennis Jones (Labour, Dogsthorpe) said that the proposals wouldn’t “stop me from wanting to live there or make me want to move away”.

Cllr Wayne Fitzgerald (Conservatives, West”) highlighted the need for flexible working units, particularly as traditional office space is in less demand as people turn to working-from-home arrangements.

The grade II listed Pearl Centre, also on the site, was “iconic” when it was built, he said, but demand for this kind of facility has shrunk.

The plans were agreed unanimously by councillors.

Building the units, which will be spread across a mix of single storey buildings and buildings equivalent to two or three storeys, is expected to begin within three years.