Peterborough City Council warns East of England Showground development could be reconsidered if Section 106 agreement cannot be finalised

The message from Peterborough City Council came as it revealed that a third deadline to secure a Section 106 agreement had been missed by land promoter AEPG, which is seeking to create a 1,500 homes and leisure village development on the 164-acre Showground.

A previous deadline of July 17 this year, which was set by councillors in January, was missed but has since been extended by officers to July 31, which has now also been missed.

The deadline had originally been set at April 22 by members of the council’s planning committee in October last year when they approved one outline planning application from AEPG to build 850 homes, a leisure village, care home, school and hotel.

They warned failure to reach a Section 106 agreement in time would mean the approval was void.

The Section 106 agreement is expected to set out an estimated £20 million financial contribution in measures to ease the impact of the development on housing, education, healthcare and roads.

Now Councillor Nick Thulbourn, Cabinet Member for Growth and Regeneration, has warned: “While significant progress has been made, including regular meetings between all parties and close collaboration with the Local Planning Authority and Local Highways Authority, the complexity involved to resolve the matters necessitated a short extension to 31 July 2025.

"We are now in discussion with the applicants to determine whether a further extension is warranted.

Cllr Thulbourn said: "Should a further extension be granted and the agreement not be finalised by the revised date, the matter will be referred back to the Committee at its next scheduled meeting on 21st October 2025.

"The council remains committed to ensuring that all planning obligations are met and that development impacts are appropriately mitigated in line with policy and public interest."

But Orton Waterville representative, Cllr Julie Stevenson said: “This carry on is seriously eroding residents’ faith in the council to treat all applicants equally.

"How many private applicants are given this amount of leeway?

"The answer should be none and this should apply also to big developers where the impact on local people is exceptionally high.”

AEPG has been approached for a response.

At a glance: Key dates for Showground planning applications:

October 15, 2024: A nine hour meeting of Peterborough City Council’s planning committee. It was agreed to approve AEPG’s outline planning application for 850 homes and a leisure village, hotel, school and care village. But approval was subject to AEPG agreeing a Section 106 agreement in six months’ time. But councillors rejected AEPG’s second application for 650 homes on an adjoining part of the East of England Showground. This included the area that had been the race track for the popular Peterborough Panthers speedway team.

October 23, 2024: The decision to reject the 650 home was ‘called in’ by three councillors.

January 13, 2025: Meeting of Appeals and Planning Review committee. Councillors overturn earlier refusal for the 650 homes. But they also set a deadline to July 17 for AEPG to agree Section 106 conditions.

April 22, 2025: Request for first extension to deadline for 850 homes outline application. This was approved and set to July 17 to tie in with the deadline set for the second outline application.

July 16, 2025: Council reveals it is considering a second extension to the deadline.

August 7, 2005: Council reveals it extended deadline to July 31, which has also been missed.

August 7, 2005: Senior councillor warns applications will go back to planners on October 21st if new deadline agreement cannot be reached.

What will the Section 106 include?

A section 106 agreement will seek to ease the impact on a number of features including housing, education and healthcare.

Housing: 30 percent of all dwellings on site to be affordable housing

Education: A total financial contribution of £21,633,995 for early years, primary and secondary education. There will also be a serviced plot for a primary school

Healthcare: A financial contribution of £2,072,143 towards additional/enhanced primary care facilities on or off site plus a financial contribution to bereavement services of £29.33 per bedroom and £470,900 to the East of England Ambulance Service.

Community facilities must serve local needs, medical facilities, sports facilities, public house/restaurant with a timetable for implementation

Highways issues include:

Speed limit changes to Joseph Odam Way/Orton Northgate, and Dunblane Drive area and to Orton Parkway.

Financial Contributions to off-site highway schemes, including active travel scheme on Oundle Road.

Financial Contributions to off-site cycleway infrastructure

Milton land vehicular access to be provided and maintained via Joseph Odam Way.

Why is the Showground being sold?

For about five decades the East of England Showground has been a popular and regular leisure destination for thousands of local people and others from further afield.

Over the years it has staged many major public events, many of which had become firm favourites, such as the annual Truckfest, Antiques Festivals, Festival of Motorcycling, the National Caravan and Motorhomes show, Fireworks Fiesta, music concerts and the annual agricultural show as well as elite speedway racing and an array of exhibitions and conferences.

But times have changed and the agricultural society says attendance at its public events has fallen.

It also says that over the last 10 years many of the open air events staged at the East of England Showground have failed to cover their costs and make a profit.

And they say it is not possible to carry on running the Showground as an events venue which was only being supported to some degree by earnings from investments and land sales.

In a letter to the council, the Society states its Showground operations failed to make a profit – income minus expenses – in any year from 2010. The worst year was 2013 when its expenses exceeded its income by £1,005,000.

It also shows that in most years even with income from investments and land sales, the Society figures at the end of the year were in the red.

Agricultural Society bosses say selling the Showground will leave the Society to focus on its charitable aims of promoting agriculture, education, and rural life.

What is the leisure village?

The leisure village, which will be called Cultura Place, is the central feature of the proposals.

The village will include an indoor arena, a court for a padel, a two storey, state-of-the-art golf driving range, a zip coaster, climbing wall, bungee trampolines, a jump tower and bounce pillow, mini Land Rovers, a bike trail and more. A 4,640 square metre indoor family entertainment centre will contain a range of activities.

The village will also include a 250-bed hotel, a school and a retirement village overseen by the Extracare charitable trust.