Council set to adopt blueprint for housing and jobs to 2043
Peterborough City Council is preparing to vote on a new statutory local plan that sets out where the city could grow over the next 17 years. The draft document says the area needs in excess of 20,000 homes and around 196 hectares of land for jobs to serve projected demand up to 2043.
Cabinet member for growth and regeneration Numan Ali Iqbal described local plans as the "heart" of future planning decisions and thanked residents and organisations that took part in the consultation process. The plan is intended to give greater weight to proposals when planning decisions are considered, though individual schemes will still require the usual planning permissions.
Major allocations and contentious sites
The largest allocation in the draft is a planned expansion at Great Haddon, near Yaxley, where the plan identifies land for more than 5,000 homes. Other sizeable allocations include land beside the East of England Showground, with the plan identifying space for 570 homes alongside developer ambitions that could see up to 1,500 homes brought forward.
A site to deliver 1,250 homes south of Market Deeping remains in the final draft, despite objections from some councillors in neighbouring South Kesteven, who warned of pressure on cross-border infrastructure and services. One district councillor described the proposal as "cheeky" given its proximity to the Lincolnshire border.
"Local plans form the heart of future planning decisions," the council's cabinet member for growth and regeneration said.
Provision for traveller sites and deleted proposals
The local plan also addresses Gypsy and traveller accommodation, identifying a requirement for 43 additional pitches in the area. The document points to 38 pitches at Thornberry Lodge, near Thorney, and a further five pitches at an address on Royce Road in the city.
Not all previously proposed developments survive the final draft. Notably, proposals for a 3,000-home development near Castor and Ailsworth have been removed, a decision welcomed by campaigners who argued the site formed part of countryside associated with the poet John Clare.
What the plan means for residents and services
By setting out where growth is to be concentrated, the local plan will influence the delivery of infrastructure, schools, health services and transport projects across Peterborough and surrounding communities. Inclusion in the plan strengthens the case for developers when they apply for planning permission, but it does not bypass the standard permission and scrutiny processes.
Opponents of particular allocations have argued that new housing could place extra strain on roads, schools and local services, and that some sites encroach on valued countryside. Supporters say the scale of housing and employment land identified is necessary to meet the city's needs as one of the UK's faster-growing areas.
| Allocation | Identified in draft |
|---|---|
| Great Haddon | 5,000+ homes |
| East of England Showground | 570 homes (developers propose up to 1,500) |
| South of Market Deeping | 1,250 homes |
| Gypsy and traveller pitches | 43 pitches (38 at Thornberry Lodge; 5 at Royce Road) |
| Removed from final draft | 3,000-home proposal near Castor and Ailsworth |
- The plan covers housing and employment land needs to 2043.
- Allocation decisions will guide future planning applications but do not grant automatic permission.
- Some contentious sites remain, and the final vote at council will determine adoption.
The council is due to take a formal decision on the local plan at a meeting on Tuesday. Adoption would give the document statutory status as Peterborough's framework for planning choices over the coming decade and beyond, while leaving space for continued debate about where and how the city should grow.
