'Pushed aside' residents raise concerns over parking, housing density and lack of amenities in 1500 home Showground development

Residents who claim their views have been pushed aside during the planning process for 1500 to be built on the site of Peterborough’s Showground have called on decision makers at local and national level to hear their voices during the next stage of the development.

At present, planning permission has been granted for both a development of 850 homes as well as another 650 homes on the Alwalton site, with the 650 homes encompassing the area that once housed the Peterborough Panthers Speedway track. The 650 homes were previously refused planning permission but overturned on appeal at the request of a group of councillors.

People living around the East of England Showground, who have joined together to create SPURR (Showground Plans Under Residents Review) have now said that they feel their concerns were not adequately addressed in separate vote by Peterborough city councillors, especially as the approved scheme is in conflict with the Local Plan.

SPURR has raised concerns about material issues around traffic, lack of amenities, housing density, questions over green spaces and pressure on city services such as education and health will be adequately addressed in the upcoming reserved matters stage, where the developers and the city council will work out detailed plans for the site.

They have also pointed to the overturning of the democratic initial rejection of the 650 homes plan as one of the reasons for their concerns.

Orton Waterville ward councillor Nicola Day said: “PM Sir Keir Starmer recently pledged that extra health services will be a key feature of new housing developments in Peterborough and North-West Cambridgeshire MP Sam Carling said he would work with developers and Peterborough City Council to ensure affordable housing, leisure facilities and infrastructure at the Alwalton site.

“While SPURR welcomes these statements the group fear its own views have not so far been adequately factored into the process and say that the pledged of politicians should be put into action in the reserved matters stage.

“We invite our local MP Sam Carling to talk to us as this is such a huge development on such an historic site and will affect the future of all of Peterborough. We live here already and can give a perspective on current issues and how many thousands more people living on, working at and visiting will impact the area.

“We also hope to work positively with the city council and developers on this hugely important project.”

In October, a six month deadline was set for AEPG to resolve traffic concerns otherwise a refusal notice could be issued. Even though the planning application has been passed by the committee, highways officials stated that there are still outstanding technical issues to be resolved.