New plans needed for North Westgate project

New multi-million pound plans are likely to be drawn up for the transformation of Peterborough’s North Westgate with details to be unveiled by the end of the year.

The new project is to be driven by Peterborough City Council and could tie in with plans for a £70 million transformation of the city’s Station Quarter.

The council has confirmed it is in talks with ‘stakeholders’ and is committed to the long-awaited development of the 4.6 acre North Westgate.

Councillor Wayne Fitzgerald, council leader, said: “We want to see North Westgate developed. But it is taking too long. We will do what ever it takes to get this done.”

His comments come after the council confirmed that its approval for an outline planning application for a £150 million development of North Westgate granted to Hawksworth Securities on November 30, 2018 had elapsed on November 29, 2021.

And it has also been revealed that a collaboration agreement between the council and Hawksworth Securities for the development of the partially derelict site was terminated by the local authority in 2020.

A council spokesperson said: “The decision notice granting outline permission was dated 30 November 2018. All reserved matters, which are details of how the development will work, needed to be

submitted within three years of that date. This did not happen, so the outline cannot

now be built.

"A fresh planning application will be needed for the site

to be developed.

She added: “This is a complex site with lots of different landowners - however, it's vital that we take the time to ensure North Westgate is delivered in a way that delivers our future needs as a city and is complementary to areas surrounding it, in particular the Station Quarter, which has recently secured a Levelling Up Fund bid from the Government of £48 million.

"We are currently in discussions with stakeholders on this.

"We will be able to say more by the end of this year.”

Peter Breach, chairman of Hawksworth Securities, who first submitted plans for North Westgate in 2003, said: “It is correct that the permission for the outline application elapsed in 2021.

He said: “I won’t give up and the political landscape might change.”

Peterborough’s North Westgate area, which has been the subject of a number of regeneration schemes.