The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
New owner of key city homes site
Peterborough-based housing association Cross Keys Homes is the new owner of the city flagship Northminster development.
Cross Keys Homes, based in Shrewsbury Avenue, Woodston, has acquired the development from the Peterborough Investment Partnership (PIP) and will now ensuring the delivery of 315 high-quality homes.
The sale has been agreed with Peterborough City Council over the last few weeks.
Claire Higgins, chief executive of Cross Keys Homes, said: “We’re delighted to be able to make this development a reality for the residents of Peterborough.
"This well-designed scheme will offer modern city centre living, just minutes from the train station and key amenities, with all homes available for affordable rent.’’
As the new landowner, CKH will be reviewing the details of the plans for the brownfield site and intended schedule of works over the next few weeks to ensure construction on the one, two and three bedroom homes and two accompanying commercial retail units can begin in earnest this summer.
The Peterborough Investment Partnership (PIP), which is also responsible for the vision behind the development at Fletton Quays, was instrumental in bringing forward the development and have fully endorsed CKH as the onward developer for the Northminster site.
David Taylor, board member of PIP, said that “We are delighted to select CKH to take Northminster forward.
"They share our vision for the scheme, commitment to the city and have an excellent track record of delivering quality homes that support our growing communities here in Peterborough.”
Peterborough City Council leader Councillor Wayne Fitzgerald said: “Cross Keys Homes are a well-known name in the city. They are the right developer to lead on Northminster.”
The first homes are due for completion in early summer 2024.
Meanwhile, ensuring the Northminster housing development has cathedral views has been placed at the heart of new plans that have been granted outline planning permission.
The plans, submitted by PIP, have been given the
green light by planning officers.
Central to those plans was preserving and enhancing the views of the city’s roughly 900-year-old Cathedral.
This section has been added to a revised planning statement, after comments from the council’s conservation officer, since the last application was submitted.
The building has been designed into two wings “which are arranged in order to suit the scale of the context and views and environment around the cathedral.”
The two wings rise to ten storeys high but have been designed to fall below the parapet of the cathedral to protect the view from London Road Bridge, the Embankment, the A1139 and to the right of the building when viewed from Stanley Park.
The plans also show how a new view will be created from the first floor retail unit, envisaged as a restaurant and bar.
The application states: “This sense of quality within the commercial café/bar/ restaurant unit will add a really attractive asset to the city centre, making it truly unique and increasingly desirable place to visit for a coffee, drink or meal.”
It adds: “The redevelopment of the site has great opportunities to, enjoy, enhance and preserve views to the cathedral which is one of the finest examples of Early English Gothic architecture.”