Sale of former TK Maxx building in Peterborough among matters to be discussed at cabinet meeting
Peterborough City Council’s cabinet members will meet on Tuesday, July 15 to discuss a range of important matters.
Among the items on the agenda is a proposal to sell the former TK Maxx and New Look building at 62-68 Bridge Street in order to “breathe new life” into the area.
Cabinet members will also discuss proposals to approve £900,000 worth of mitigation works to the city’s Town Hall building as well as the potential sale of Middleholme for a development of 350 plus homes.
See below for a round-up of items to be discussed at the cabinet meeting:
Former TK Maxx building
The former TK Maxx and New Look building at 62-68 Bridge Street was acquired by the council in August 2020 using Towns Fund grant funding with a total spend of £4,164,346.
The building was initially acquired to accommodate the Vine project, one of the eight projects being funded by the Towns Fund programme, but the council is now proposing to sell it due to it being “no longer economically viable”.
If the move is approved by cabinet on July 15, a marketing exercise to sell the four-storey building will begin soon afterwards and conclude in the autumn, with consideration for a mixed residential and commercial development.
Councillor Nick Thulbourn, the council’s cabinet member for growth and regeneration, said: “The former TK Maxx and New Look site forms a significant gateway into our city centre.
“For those reasons it is an important site and one we must get right, to breathe new life into this part of our city centre and enhance the overall experience for people.
“Although we are inviting all offers, selling as a mixed-use scheme of residential and commercial will help achieve our housing targets, offering good quality accommodation in the heart of our city centre, and increasing footfall along Bridge Street.”
Town Hall repairs
While the council claims that the likelihood of RAAC collapse is unlikely, it admits that the implications would be “severe” if it were to happen, including a serious risk of fatality or serious injury to occupants below.
Despite cabinet being recommended to approve these works, a council scrutiny committee met on July 10 and recommended the cabinet delayed its decision on the works until a long-term plan for the building was established.
Councillor Polly Geraghty (Liberal Democrat) said: “It’s difficult to approve something if you’ve got no idea what’s going to happen afterwards.
“If you’re going to spend close to £1 million on something for it to then just be mothballed, why are we bothering spending money that we don’t have?”
Since January, all city council meetings have been held at the authority’s offices in Sand Martin House instead of the Town Hall due to the condition and fire safety of the historic building on Bridge Street.
Despite the issues on the second floor, other parts of the building have remained in use such as the chamber which has been used as a coroner’s court this month.
Middlehome
The number of homes could be increased with the completion of the council’s new Local Plan, which guides development across the city.
Some of the land is currently leased by the council from Milton (Peterborough) Estates Company (MPEC).
Cabinet members will be asked to approve a collaboration agreement with MPEC and then to formally market the entire 41 acres as an ‘allocated residential development site’.
The land was previously used for landfill with a small part of the land once used as a car park.
Members will also be told that the Potters Way car park, which is within council ownership, is non-operational and does not generate an income.
The car park along with the leased land is being declared surplus to requirements.
The officers’ report states: “The car park is at the end of life and in a poor condition.
“The land offers a greater opportunity for residential development near the city centre.”
Highway funding
In April, the authority’s cabinet approved £7,575,787 in highway funding as part of its Transport Capital Programme of Works, which was later reduced to £7,152,094.
A further £1,418,000 of Integrated Transport Block (ITB) funding has now been allocated to Peterborough City Council by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, bringing the total highway funding for 2025/26 to £8,570,094.
The additional funding will be put towards integrated transport improvements, highways improvements and street lighting improvements, while pothole prevention and bridge improvements funding will remain the same as previously approved.
Cabinet members are asked to authorise the award of the extra £994,307 worth of works to the council’s highway partner M Group Limited (formerly Milestone Infrastructure Services Limited).
They will also be recommended to approve the redistribution of funding for the 2025/26 Transport Capital Programme of Works.
A report to be put before the cabinet states: “The additional funding will be used to deliver projects that will enhance the use of transport in the city whether this be through active travel schemes or vehicular use.
“The programmes are designed to ensure delivery of a balanced programme of enhancements that allow the council to fulfil its statutory duties and corporate priorities.”
Public health services
A final decision will be made by cabinet members on plans to cut £350,000 in spending on various public health services in Peterborough.
As a result of public health funding challenges, the council is aiming to reduce spending on adult weight management, health trainers, training for health professionals, physical activity, falls prevention and outreach health checks from £442,694 to £100,000.
The remaining £100,000 would be split, with £50,000 used to support wider work on the prevention of obesity and £50,000 allocated to falls prevention and physical activity.
Members are recommended to approve these changes to the budget on July 15 and also award a £582,216 two-year contract for provision of smoking cessation services, with a one-year possible extension.
Councillor Shabina Qayyum, cabinet member for public health and adult social care, has said that the current level of funding from the government “simply isn’t enough”.
The Vine project update
An update on Central Library and Peterscourt projects, two sites of The Vine Towns Fund project, are to be presented to cabinet on July 15 for approval to proceed.
It is recommended that cabinet approves a range of recommendations including the authorisation to award contracts to refurbish both Central Library and Peterscourt.
Cllr Thulbourn said: “It’s great to see these updates on Central Library and Peterscourt going before cabinet, setting out the approach for the final phase of the project.”
The Vine is being delivered across three sites; Central Library, The Goods Shed in Fletton Quays and Peterscourt to create a thriving hub for residents, businesses and visitors to enjoy different spaces across the city centre.
The project will see refurbishment of the ground floor in Central Library and Goods Shed building, a derelict former railing building, to become a food and drinks hall.
A section of Peterscourt building will be refurbished to accommodate start up business and provide maker spaces.