New plans for controversial new flats development at former Peterborough health centre approved

The plans drew almost 200 objections when they were first drawn up.
The Gloucester Centre in Orton Longueville.The Gloucester Centre in Orton Longueville.
The Gloucester Centre in Orton Longueville.

Fresh plans for the conversion on the former Psychological Wellbeing Service (Gloucester Centre) at Morpeth Close in Orton Longueville have been approved.

In December 2020, Peterborough City Council’s planning committee allowed Homes England and Vistry Partnerships to develop the site that Homes England purchased from the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust as part of a £20 million deal, which also included sites in Cambridge.

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This application drew widespread criticism, with a a petition containing 506 signatures was submitted to the city council along with 198 objections to the plans.

The plans for the layout of the development.The plans for the layout of the development.
The plans for the layout of the development.

Among the complaints from Orton Longueville Parish council were the density of the flats plan, the amount of green space, a potential increase in traffic and the possibility for the site to hold archaeological assets.

The plans then were for 100 homes, they are now now 99 homes. Of these, 21 will be made available for affordable rent, nine for shared ownership and 69 will be placed on the open market.

Across the 3.23 hectare site, there will be six one-bed units, 46 two-bed units, 38 three-ben units and nine four-bed units with a mix of detached, semi detached, short terraces and blocks of flats

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Developers have said that apartment blocks have been repositioned to provide additional direct access from the public footpath to the spine road, thereby creating ease of pedestrian and cycle movements.

The layout is a spine road with a number of cul-de-sacs and private drives linked to the existing cycleways. A short new section of cycleway would link Wainman Road with Morpeth Close.

Extensive landscaping, including a pond, grassed areas and tree planting is proposed to wrap around the western and southern parts of the site following the cycleway corridors as well as retention of a number existing Tree Protection Orders.

The latest plans attracted 18 objections from 226 consultations, with no responses received in support of the plans.

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The responses raised issues including: No need for new housing, impact on local infrastructure such as schools, traffic issues, the flats and their density being out of keeping with the area and the lack of lighting on cycleways.

The plans have been given outline approval, however, and can be viewed on the city council’s planning portal using reference 22/00241/REM.