The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Queensgate cinema-led revamp back in focus after court battle
Green light given to shopping centre’s £30m plan
It is full steam ahead for a £30 million cinema-led redevelopment of Peterborough’s Queensgate shopping centre after the failure of a High Court bid to halt the revamp. Centre bosses say they expect work on the 18 month-long development, which will include an Odeon-run cinema with a huge IMAX screen, a hub of seven restaurants and the creation of new stores, to start early next year.
The way was cleared for the development after a High Court judge had rejected claims from rival developers Hawksworth Securities that planning approval for the Queensgate scheme should not have been granted.
Hawksworth had been seeking to plough ahead with a £100 million cinema-led developmenttoachievethelongawaited regeneration of the North Westgate area, which adjoins the shopping centre.
Nowaquestionmarkhangs over whether the developmentofthe neglected site will ever take place.
Both applications wereapproved by Peterborough City Council’s planning committee last October but it was also agreed that it would not be viable to have two cinemas in such close proximity.
Hawksworth Securities, which only had outline approval for its plans and lots of site assembly work to do, could not have started its development first and went to the High Court to seek a judicial review of the council’s decision.
But in a written ruling that ran to nearly 12,500 words, Mrs Justice Lang, said the council was entitled to reach its decision to grant planning consent for the Queensgate plan.
Afterwards, Guy Thomas, head of retail asset management at Lendlease, which manages Queensgate, said: “Our focus is now on starting work on the extension of Queensgate as quickly as possible, with the backing of John Lewis, Odeon and Next.
“Theplansareasignificant investmentinthecitythatwill not only increase its appeal as adestinationforresidentsand visitors alike, they will create new employment opportunities for local people and enhance the city’s standing in the region.
“We are delighted with the High Court ruling.”
Peter Breach, chairman of Hawksworth, said an appeal would not be made after the failure of the High Court bid.
He admitted it will now take a lot of effort to get the North Westgate scheme - which includes a four star hotel, homes, restaurants and shops - off the ground.
He said: “The truth is it’s starting from scratch.