Lincoln Road: multi-million improvement scheme ‘a start’ to making Millfield ‘prosperous’ area for shopping

Central ward councillor Mohammed Jamil has questioned the reduction in funding for the Lincoln Road scheme but praises step in the right direction.

In early 2023, Peterborough City Council will set workers to task to improve the Millfield area of Lincoln Road, following a public consultation.

The improvement scheme between Searjeant Street and Windmill Street will rejuvenate the area by creating an ‘attractive destination’ for visitors.

The aim is to also encourage more people in the area to walk and cycle.

This image shows the view looking north for the Option 2 for the transformation of the Lincoln Road area of Peterborough.

However, according to ward councillor Mohammed Jamil (Central, Labour and Cooperative Party) original plans for the revamp included funding in the region of £7.5 million, which is understood to be significantly reduced.

‘Area left to rot’

He said: “I have been involved with the regeneration of Lincoln Road since it was first touted back in 2012. The ward boundaries were a bit different then but I have stayed on with this project as I feel this whole area has been left to rot for such a long time.

“Back in 2015, myself and my then fellow ward councillor Nazim Khan asked for £15 million. We were then offered £7.5million. I feel that due to there being no will on the part of the council to spend that kind of money on this area it was left on the back burner. The council carried out many consultations and a lot of officer time was originally spent on the project. However, somehow we have gone from £7.5m to £2.5m.

This image shows the view looking south for the Option 2 for the transformation of the Lincoln Road area of Peterborough.

“I am pleased that we now have some money that we can spend on one particular block in Millfield. It is nowhere near what we were promised but I am looking at this money as a start and hope that more money will follow to make Millfield an attractive, safe, clean, and prosperous area where people will want to come and shop, use the cafe's, takeaways as well as the other businesses in the area.”

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The improvements will be funded through £2.5 million of Towns Fund money from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC).

Additional funding will come from Peterborough City Council’s redevelopment budget – to be agreed on November 2 – and grant funding from other sources.

Once the summer improvement scheme is completed, the cafes, restaurants and shops along the Millfield area of Lincoln Road could benefit from extending their businesses outside.

They can make the most of the improved space during the spring and summer.

The council says it engaged with 183 people at public events and received 310 completed surveys.

Officers have been reviewing responses and are working with Highways to create the final scheme.

Option one would see widened pavements on either side of the road, a new pedestrian crossing at the Lincoln Road/Alma Road junction.

There will also be soft landscaping with trees and shrubs, new electric vehicle charging points, a new area for cycling parking, new benches, and new bins. However, this option would mean the removal of three parking spaces on the road.

Option two would include everything in option one, plus more cycling infrastructure in the form of a cycle lane on either side of the road.

But this option would require the loss of ten parking spaces.

The council are proposing new block paving to enhance the look of Lincoln Road, continuing the new paving up to the shop frontages.