Plans for three homes on site of funeral directors in Peterborough

Plans have been submitted to construct three new homes on the site of a funeral directors in Peterborough.

The applicant, building contractors and funeral directors John Lucas Peterborough Ltd, has occupied 31-33 Dogsthorpe Road since the formation of the company in the early 1900s.

While the building company is no longer active at the site, the funeral directors business still operates at number 31 Dogsthorpe Road, with the yard used for storage of funeral vehicles and a chapel of rest.

The company’s application to Peterborough City Council seeks to gain outline planning consent for three new homes in the yard area with the creation of a new shared access to the side of number 33 Dogsthorpe Road, which would remain as a private house.

The development would consist of two three-bedroom semi-detached homes of 117sqm and one three-bedroom detached home of 128.2sqm.

This would include the demolition of 619sqm of commercial space in the yard to make way for the homes.

According to plans, the funeral directors, which still employs five people, would be relocated to a “modern, built for purpose premises” which the company says would “provide longer term security for the development of the business”.

The planning application states: “Whilst the existing buildings are in a reasonable condition and well maintained they do not conform to modern standards or expectations for lighting, heating and insulation.

“The existing buildings are now mostly vacant and significant improvements would be required to make them attractive for sale or rental as modern industrial workshop or storage space.”

City council planners will make a decision on the application at a later date.