Religious education centre to replace former Peterborough pub and beer garden

Plans to replace the Cavendish Arms at 123 Eastfield Road with a religious education centre have been approved.

Plans have been refined in recent weeks to make the proposed side and rear extensions slightly larger to allow for a larger washing and toilet area.

The pub, which has been closed for several years, will be refitted as a teaching building with two first-floor extensions to provide more teaching space and an internal staircase.

Classes to teach children are expected to have 15-20 places and take place on weekdays between 5 and 7pm.

The building will also cater for religious prayers for between ten and 15 people between 1pm and 8pm on a Friday.

Spiritual Gatherings for between 20 and 30 people will take place intermittently on a Saturday or Sunday between the hours 7pm and 9pm.

Inside the building will be an open plan teaching area on the ground floor, as well as a reception/office, with three teaching rooms, a wash room and an overnight stay room on the first floor.

The development is expected to create two part-time teaching jobs.

The pub’s former beer garden will also be redeveloped with an application to build a three bedroom home also approved. Two car parking spaces will also be provided.

The application states: “The proposal is to replace to the gravel area with a grassed garden, along with a small paved area.

“The remainder of the site would be have the dwelling, parking and small soft landscaped area to the front.”

The application can be viewed on Peterborough City Council’s planning portal using reference 24/00058/FUL.