Man fumes as council urges withdrawal of plans to turn former Peterborough pub into religious education hub

A Peterborough man is in a planning dispute with the city council over his proposal to change the use of a former pub.

Kasir Iqbal had initial plans approved in March 2024 to fully convert The Cavendish pub building at 123 Eastfield Road into a religious education centre.

However, due to a “lack of interest in getting the place fully occupied for religious education” and high cost estimations, Mr Iqbal re-submitted fresh plans for the property.

These included retaining only part of the ground floor as a religious education facility and the rest of the space to be used as retail, with the first floor remaining residential as previously used.

Mr Iqbal claims Peterborough City Council planning officers were against the retail aspect of the revised plans and advised him to withdraw the application or risk refusal.

The 54-year-old said: “I really don’t understand it. It was a public house before with people and cars coming and going.

“I want to do it for the community in the area, not for me personally. It’s something different and makes use of the building because it’s been shut for a while.

“That area is drug infested. By me doing something there, it will bring the place alive again. People will come and go, it will be active and busy.

“The council got planning officers to reject something that’s beneficial to the community. We’ll have to go back to the council and see what they will accept.”

A spokesperson for Peterborough City Council said: “We can confirm that the applicant has formally withdrawn the application and any future application will be considered on its own merits.”

Mr Iqbal says he will have discussions with his architect over future plans for the site.