the official regeneration magazine of Peterboroughvibe

growth: People, jobs and prosperity

EnvironmEnt: Leading the way in sustainability

housing: The creation of 25,000 new homes

Regeneration: Community Consultation Construction Training: YouthBuild Affordable Housing: Salaam Court

Joining it upmaking it happen

Accent Nene is a member of Accent Group –the UK’s leading Community Investment Business

Accent Group provides national strength, supporting Accent Nene’s capacity to deliver to thelocal market. If you would like to find out more about how we could help deliver solutions inthe Peterborough area please contact Julian Knapp on 01733 295 464.

Regeneration: Community Consultation Private Sector Management: LeedsPrivate Sector Management: Leeds Construction Training: YouthBuild Affordable Housing: Salaam Court

Provision of Health Facilities: Leeds

VIBE WELCOME �

We hope you enjoy the second issue of VIBE magazine, dedicated to the £1 billion-plus transformation of Peterborough. Published on behalf of Peterborough City Council and the urban regeneration company Opportunity Peterborough, VIBE illustrates how the city is shaping up to be one of the most vibrant and promising in the UK.

Peterborough is establishing its credentials as the UK’s environment capital, nurturing and expanding the already-flourishing environmental businesses in and around the city. Read about our unique strengths in this field – and how we’re building on them – on page 34.

That ambition feeds all our plans, including our strategy for transforming the very fabric of the city centre (page 6), our strategy for meeting the government target of 25,000 new homes, and each of the individual investment opportunities and development projects planned and already under way in and around Peterborough. (page 43)

We have ambitious plans for health and education, too (page 22), as we seek to enhance the lifestyle on offer in Peterborough. Part urban, part rural and wholly “green”, this will soon be among the most attractive areas in the country in which to live and work.

VIBE describes how we will turn that ambition into reality. It also highlights many of the exciting commercial, retail, leisure, housing and infrastructure opportunities arising from our plans, and the conditions and guidelines we envisage for these investments.

We look forward to working with you.

welcome

Dr clive morton oBeActing chairman, Opportunity Peterborough

Gillian Beasley Chief executive, Peterborough City Council

ING Real Estate is one of the world’s largest propertycompanies, and has a proven track record of deliveringcomplex and high quality development schemes. Thecompany’s position as a global market leader, coupled with the financial strength of the ING Group, enables it to undertake projects of all sizes, assemble world-class professional teams and deliver the highest qualitydevelopments.

ING Real Estate Development UK delivers large-scale mixed-use regeneration projects throughout the UK. It has asuccessful track record having completed Midsummer Placeshopping centre in Milton Keynes; apartments, new shops,restaurants and bars linked to the quayside in Canary Wharf;luxury apartments in Paddington and Dalton Park shoppingoutlet centre in County Durham.

The company has achieved remarkable progress across its major groundbreaking projects including sustainableresidential regeneration schemes in Ancoats in Manchester,Bo’ness town centre and foreshore in Falkirk, Hayle Harbourin Cornwall and the £290 million Frank Gehry designedleisure and residential scheme on Brighton & Hove seafront.

The company is also developing a number of significantmixed-use city and town centre regeneration schemes in Chester, Hull, Stevenage, Enfield and now inPeterborough.

In partnership with Network Rail, ING Real Estate looks forward to working closely with Peterborough City Council, Opportunity Peterborough and the localcommunity to revitalise the area around Peterboroughrailway station with a mixed-use scheme of several hundredthousand square feet of new development.

ING Real Estate, in concert with its partners, are seeking withthis development to create a scheme of exceptionalsustainable and environmental qualities, raising thebenchmark for schemes of this nature and reflecting thethriving environmental business community withinPeterborough.

Once completed the multi-million pound scheme will aim to enhance the town’s existing offer, reinforcingPeterborough’s reputation as a vibrant, contemporary centrefor living, working and playing, as well as vastly improvingthe connectivity between the town centre, the rail station and beyond.

www.ingrealestate.com

Investing in PeterboroughNorthgate, Chester

PalaceXchange, Enfield

Midsummer Place, Milton Keynes

St Stephen’s, Hull

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189 Lavender HillLondon SW11 5TB

T: 020 7978 6840F: 020 7978 6837

Peterborough City CouncilTown Hall Bridge StreetPeterborough PE1 1HG

Tel: 01733 747 474www.peterborough.gov.uk

Opportunity PeterboroughPeters Court City RoadPeterborough PE1 1SA

Tel: 01733 317 417www.opportunity

peterborough.co.uk

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© 3Fox International Limited 2007. All material is strictly copyright and all

rights are reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without the written

permission of 3Fox International Limited is strictly forbidden. The greatest care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of information in this magazine at time

of going to press, but we accept no responsibility for omissions or errors. The views expressed in this magazine are not

necessarily those of 3Fox International Limited, Opportuntity Peterborough or

Peterborough City Council.

06 Vision The city’s long-term development strategy will provide a healthy future for its growing population

17 Housing How the creation of 25,000 sustainable homes will shape the new-look Peterborough

22 Education and healthcare New schools, improved further education facilities and bigger hospitals are at the heart of the city’s regeneration plans to provide for the community

28 Business clusters Peterborough’s economy is thriving: it’s becoming a centre of excellence, transport initiatives are fast-tracked and commercial space is booming

34 Environment capital As one of the UK’s environment cities, Peterborough is setting itself up as the premier location for environmentally friendly industries and like-minded individuals

42 Development update An overview of the main projects up and coming in and around Peterborough

CONTENTS

Advertisers:

02 Nene Housing04 ING Real Estate10 O&H Hampton16 Kier Group21 Broadgate Homes25 Atkins26 Halcrow32 Opportunity

Peterborough33 Savills36 Royal Haskoning41 Cross Keys Homes47 Barker Storey

Matthews48 GVA Grimley

VIBE CONTENTS �

� VIBE VISION

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Forward thinking

Unlike most cities with their own urban regeneration company, Peterborough’s main problems are not urban decline and depression. the city has a broad-based and growing economy, a vibrant community and a compelling location. one of the main reasons it needs development guidance is the vast amount of growth it has to accommodate over the next few years: 25,000 houses and 20,000 new jobs, as decreed by government growth targets. But a dramatic, overnight transformation is not wise, and is not going to happen. instead, the task ahead is to renew the city in a sustainable way, to ensure a healthy long-term future.

Peterborough has a history of renewal. the ancient cathedral city was designated a new town in 1968 to accommodate overspill from london, with the Peterborough Development corporation, driven by central government, encouraging growth over the next 20 years. Among its many initiatives, it used its planning powers to build the shopping centre and additional housing,

until it was wound up in 1988. At that stage the city’s progress stalled with the local economy tending towards a low-wage, low-skill base.

By the end of the 1990s it was clear that there was much more Peterborough could and should do for its future. housing, transport, education and infrastructure all needed improving. existing businesses needed help to grow and new ones needed attracting to the area. residents and visitors wanted better leisure and entertainment facilities.

while the city has huge potential for growth, it also needs to improve the older parts and not forget them as the city develops. As Gillian Beasley, chief executive of Peterborough city council, says: “the challenge for the city is to grow in a sustainable way. we need to improve the city centre, but not let the older areas get left behind in the rush. ”

that’s the task that faces opportunity Peterborough, the Urc set up in 2005 to drive the growth and regeneration of the city. its acting chairman Dr clive morton, oBe, has strong ideas about the way forward. “the development corporation is the model people look to. it’s a very large-scale overbearing, government-led model, but it did get a lot done. since then, it’s almost as if the city has been waiting for something of the same scale to come along. we want to do similar things, with the same levels of growth – increasing the city’s size by around 45% – but do it in a different way, involving stakeholders, the private sector and leveraging funding. we will have a similar impact but via a very different process.”

the strategy is to achieve Peterborough’s renewal through a series of step changes over the next 15 years. this approach relies on the delivery of interdependent projects in property, the economy, managed growth and marketing. the process has to be realistic, employing incremental one-off

Peterborough is poised for major growth in population, business and status, all held together by a strong sustainability agenda and innovative partnerships

Right: Cathedral Square at the heart of PeterboroughAbove: ‘A Spire’, one of the many sculptures on the city’s sculpture trail

VIBE VISION �

there’S a clear lINk betweeN health aNd SPOrtS facIlItIeS aNd the NeedS Of exPaNdINg buSINeSSeS IN the cIty

� VIBE VISION

a bIgger PeterbOrOugh muSt alSO be a better PeterbOrOugh wIth OrgaNIc aNd maNageable grOwth rather thaN a daSh fOr deVelOPmeNt at aNy cOSt

solutions to deliver a step change in results. it also has to lead to sustainable growth over the longer term. A bigger Peterborough must also be better Peterborough, with organic and manageable growth rather than a dash for development at any cost. Physical and economic growth must help Peterborough’s districts re-link into a renewed heart at the city centre. Finally, the process has to dovetail into the council’s neighbourhood investment strategy, which will encourage growth along the lines of the government’s investment in communities.

while oP is able to initiate some high-impact projects itself, its main role is as a catalyst and coordinator, bringing together different partners and agents in both private and public sectors to deliver projects. After 20 years without clear focus, it looks like Peterborough now has a regeneration company with partnerships that can renew the city for a secure and long-term future.

there’s also the issue of image. while Peterborough is in fact larger than York (160,000 compared with just 137,000 in population), it has never had the profile its size, quality and location should merit. the renewal of the city therefore requires putting it firmly on the map for lifestyle and

PlansThe overarching planning strategy is the local development framework, which replaced much of the old city centre masterplan when the additional growth requirements came into play a few months afer it was approved.

Rather than a single document to be approved by all appropriate bodies, as was the masterplan, the new local development framework comprises a core strategy, and a number of other documents which can be progressed separately. The core strategy (being led by Peterborough City Council) sets the overall direction and priorities.

It is supplemented by the more detailed policies such as the area action plans – like the city centre area action plan (CAAP), led by OP – and a number of supplementary documents, mostly led by the council, on housing and land, Section 106, public realm, etc. One, the integrated growth study, is being led by OP and advised by Arup.

environment, as well as employment and economic performance.

one of Peterborough’s main economic strengths is its 350 ‘green’ companies and government organisations, Peterborough has the densest concentration of such firms in the country, along with a well-established and improving green infrastructure, including the green wheel of cycleways, and an urban-rural package benefiting from the fens and other areas of natural beauty. oP is promoting a more tangible manifestation of Peterborough’s green credentials via the creation of a green quarter, with environmental companies in green buildings. As an ‘environment city’, Peterborough can attract the businesses of the future and use their expertise to make the most of existing assets and develop the city’s growing eco reputation – this was the focus of the environmental summit held in February (see page 41, and for more on Peterborough as an environment city, see page 34).

ironicAllY, For A town with sUch green credentials, the car is still by far the preferred method of transport. however, sustainable transport is one of the subjects to be addressed in the integrated growth study, now under way through the appointed consultant Arup. other subjects include resource/energy use, the economy and spatial lay out.

Guiding the integrated growth study is just one part of opportunity Peterborough’s remit: it is both shaping the strategy of the city and helping the council create key statutory planning documents, without which development cannot progress with certainty, nor gain access to government ‘pump-priming’ funding. oP is to renew the city with a clear plan and realistic targets, delivering more and better housing, higher-value businesses and a sustainable environment for Peterborough as a whole.

the city is increasingly pulling its weight as a regional hub. it became part of the regional growth corridor between london and stansted in 2004, and the Greater Peterborough sub-region is a key component of the government’s regional spatial strategy (rss).

the regional strategy sets out some of

the specifics to be addressed in the growth study goals for Greater Peterborough. inward investment should concentrate on knowledge-based industries (especially the environmental cluster), retail and leisure services. higher education will expand and work towards the provision on the city’s first university. the rural area around Peterborough needs both ecological protection and financial support. Food production and processing will remain a vital part of the regional economy and should be supported and expanded. Achieving all these goals will consolidate Peterborough’s existing strengths while also providing the city with a healthy framework for the future.

when opportunity Peterborough was first established in April 2005, it was initially charged with revitalising the city centre. Although its remit has grown since then to encompass the government growth targets it still believes that the city’s future depends on creating a strong, vibrant city centre to serve as the hub for growth. oP is taking the lead in enabling projects and strategic acquisitions, working with individual developers as well as the council, english Partnerships and eeDA, and taking an advisory role with the large developments already progressing at north westgate and the station Quarter.

“the current city centre is small in absolute terms but also compared to cities of similar population,” says director of development steve compton. “it will struggle to support the levels of growth we’re talking about. what’s missing? more people in the city, living in the city to fuel a night-time economy and support a vibrant restaurant and cultural offer. we get vast numbers of commuters and shoppers coming to Peterborough daily. with a better offer we could retain them into the evening.

“some of this is a legacy of the development corporation, when the best and brightest planners were delivering out-of-town communities and impressive parkway systems. we’re trying to change this, and follow the countrywide trend over the past 10-15 years of people moving back into city centres, creating vitality.”

so how is the city centre to be improved? more central housing will make it livelier

VIBE VISION �

Above left: Peterborough Regional College, to become part of a universityAbove: The city is surrounded by picturesque villages

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Since the publication of the last issue of VIBE in 2006, work has continued at Hampton to implement the vision for the new community. Reflecting the focus of the current planning agenda on prioritising the delivery of new homes, over 600 units have been constructed on site in the last 12 months. Of the 6,900 dwellings planned for Hampton, detailed planning consent has now been granted for over 4,000 homes.

In addition, in response to the need to explore faster, more sustainable and more cost-efficient methods of delivering housing in the UK, Accent Nene commissioned Goddard Wybor Architects to design 36 contemporary affordable housing units in Hampton Centre using Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) which have now been built on site. Proposals for the second mixed use neighbourhood centre at Hampton Vale have been submitted to the City Council for approval, this will deliver new local facilities for the second neighbourhood.

Hampton

To the immediate north of Hampton, outline planning consent has been granted for 675 new homes and 7 ha of employment uses on 33 ha of land at Hempsted straddling London Road. The site has been largely disused since the cessation of brickmaking, and its redevelopment will create a new residential neighbourhood here for the first time. The development will be highly visible from London Road, one of the main radial routes into the City from the south, and will be an important site in the regeneration of the south of the city as it bridges the gap between Hampton and the established urban area of South Peterborough.

A development brief has also been approved by the City Council to guide developers when submitting detailed proposals. The emphasis is on modern building forms, making the most of the existing lakes and landscape on site, and establishing innovative bus priority measures along London Road to help deliver a fast bus service into the City Centre. Accent Nene is to deliver over 200 affordable homes as part of the scheme, and the company is due to start on site later this year.

Regenerating the existing

urban area - Hempsted

Hampton Peterborough

– Update for 2007Illustrative Perspective of Hempsted High Street.

Exemplar Development Images.

Hampton Magazine VIBE advert REV2 2 21/05/2007 10:45:28

Designing and building your own home is becoming more popular in the UK, however, sometimes land is in short supply. The success of the seven self-build plots in Hampton Vale East offered to the market in 1999 has encouraged the owners of the site, O&H Properties Ltd, to designate a second area for 12 ‘third of an acre’ plots in Hampton Vale West.

Because of the desire to set each individually designed self-build home within a unified setting – with O&H funding and constructing all the landscaping and primary infrastructure up front – a comprehensive design code has been prepared to set certain parameters for high quality development on each plot, including achieving EcoHomes ‘Excellent’ Rating for sustainable construction.

These plots are shortly to be offered to the market, further sites will be available for additional self-build plots should sufficient demand be demonstrated.

To register interest please e-mail: nsb@ohhampton.co.uk

For further information and land enquiries:e: cac@ohhampton.co.ukt: 01733 293220www.ohhampton.co.uk

2007

Illustrative Master Plan for Hempsted.

More Plots for Self-Build

Housing - Hampton

Hampton Magazine VIBE advert REV3 3 21/05/2007 10:45:53

and boost the retail and leisure side of the economy, as well putting right a problem common to many cities, where new housing on the outskirts has caused the centre and inner ring to decline. organic ‘inside out’ growth will create a healthy heart for the entire urban area.

currently under-used assets in the centre, such as the riverfront and the area around the cathedral, will be re invigorated, and major developments in and around the centre will also turn it into a hive of activity. the new north westgate development is to be balanced by new leisure, eating and entertainment facilities along the river. then there is the station Quarter, which won’t be just a transport hub but a working and living area in its own right. Add in the new university and the whole zone around the city centre is set to become a much busier, livelier place.

steve compton says: “some of the sites are in hand and progressing, such as north westgate and station Quarter, while some

of the other areas, what we call the ‘second half’ need redevelopment. we want to draw people through from the station area to the river and take advantage of the cathedral as an attraction. it’s a real advantage that we haven’t developed the river area too much to date, as it gives us a real opportunity to get it right.

“the city centre is just part of the growth story. we have to find a way not only to incorporate housing and jobs, but ways to glue the city together, so we’re looking at the transport structure seeking alternatives to the current car-based systems, with more sustainable transport networks. it’s easy to see Peterborough as a city centre surrounded by outlying villages, but there’s actually a lot in between, and they increasingly need attention. we need to make sure the whole city is glued together, and make the whole city function as one, rather than as isolated pieces. we want to look at the city centre, the old ‘new town’ communities and the outlying areas all at once.”

12 VIBE VISION

the whOle zONe arOuNd the cIty ceNtre IS tO becOme a much buSIer, lIVelIer Place

Left: The city centre will be transformed by the North Westgate and Station Quarter projectsAbove right: Industry in Peterborough is thrivingRight: The city must take advantage of its stunning cathedral

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VIBE VISION 13

14 VIBE VISION

Gillian Beasley agrees: “we need to lay the foundations for growth. we must create strong targets for growth, regeneration and inward investment, and use that as a springboard for further growth.”

outside the city centre, outlying districts will be knitted closer together through transport improvements and new housing developments. By concentrating on fruitful business clusters and higher-value employment, the whole economy will both grow and become more secure.

the approach will catalyse investment and development from the private sector alongside improvements in the public realm. creating the right strategy and enabling key projects will encourage inward investment, new jobs and new houses. A busier, livelier city will promote itself and help ensure that the vision succeeds.

As Gillian Beasley says: “Peterborough is well positioned, both geographically and in having all the ingredients for growth about to come together. the enthusiasm between our partners makes it a very powerful movement.” ❑

Right: Entrance to North Westgate, one of the priority areas for the city centre

Peterborough PartnersPeterborough is fortunate in having both strong local support and regional and national backers for the city’s renewal.

the main players are Opportunity Peterborough (OP), Peterborough city council (Pcc), the east of england development agency (eeda), english Partnerships (eP) and the department of communities and local government (clg). the clg is also involved through its regional government Office for the east of england (gO eaSt). Several excellent local organisations are also contributing to both the strategic vision and its implementation.

Principal among these are the Peterborough regional economic Partnership (PreP), the greater Peterborough Partnership (gPP), the Peterborough environment city trust (Pect) and the uk centre for economic and environmental development (uk ceed). all these agencies (especially OP, eP and gPP) work with the private sector on individual projects.

for growth in particular, OP works with the Pcc, eeda, eP and the clg. eP is particularly important in delivering sites and brokering land acquisition.

the council’s role in setting and administering planning policy means it influences property developments across the city.

for the economic vision there are relationships in place between the public agencies and the private sector, with PreP and the gPP important locally and eeda at the regional level.

PeterbOrOugh IS well POSItIONed, bOth geOgraPhIcally aNd IN haVINg all the INgredIeNtS fOr grOwth abOut tO cOme tOgether

VIBE VISION 15

opportunity Peterborough (oP)Opportunity Peterborough is the city’s urban regeneration company. It is a private company but is supported by the local authority and other public agencies. OP is at the centre of making Peterborough’s renewal a reality and its remit covers the physical and economic regeneration of the city. OP’s specific objectives are to create jobs through business growth, to increase the delivery of new housing and, thirdly, to renew and revitalise the city centre.

Like other regeneration companies it was set up with an initial 10-year lifespan, and its functions will eventually revert to the city council and other regional agencies.

OP’s operational funding from start-up to the end of 2007/08 is £2.7 million, not including developments and projects. www.opportunitypeterborough.co.uk

Peterborough City Council (PCC) Peterborough’s council became a unitary authority in 1998, employs 6,500 staff and has an annual budget of £227 million. It is directly involved in many regeneration projects in housing, transport, education and the environment, while enabling other developments through its planning process and by attracting funds from regional agencies, national government and Europe. www.peterborough.gov.uk

east of england Development agency (eeDa) EEDA is one of nine regional development agencies set up by the government in 1999 to promote sustainable economic development in England. Based in Cambridge, it has a budget in 2006/2007 of £140 million and plays an important role in influencing the £25 billion of public spending on homes, jobs and transport across the East of England. EEDA also provides grants of its own for specific regeneration projects.

www.eeda.org.ukenglish Partnerships (eP) English Partnerships is the government’s national regeneration agency, set up in 1999 from the amalgamation of the Commission for New Towns and the Urban Regeneration Agency. EP works by developing a portfolio of strategic land, especially brownfield sites. It can provide direct funding as well as helping unlock resources from the private sector and other public agencies. www.englishpartnerships.co.uk

Department of Communities and local government (DClg) The DCLG is the central government department set up in May 2006 to oversee English local government, regional development and the environment. Its regional strategy has put Peterborough in a prominent position on the London-Stansted corridor. Apart from providing funding, a key role of the DCLG is to secure good value for money through the simplification of supply chains and high-quality partnering.www.communities.gov.uk

go east (goe) The Government Office for the East of England is based in Cambridge and covers Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. A subsidiary of the DCLG, it acts as an interface between the main central government departments and local authorities and agencies. There is a Go East appointee on the OP board.www.go-east.gov.uk

the uK Centre for economic and environmental Development (uK CeeD)Founded in 1984 to demonstrate the business case for good environmental practice, UK CEED undertakes research, provides policy advice to government and business, implements demonstration

projects and conducts education and engagement activities. www.ukceed.orgPeterborough regional economic Partnership (PreP) PREP is a voluntary private/public partnership which plays a key role in the strategy for economic growth in Peterborough. The partnership’s steering group comes mainly from local business but is also advised by representatives from the PCC, OP, EEDA and the GPP. Its strategy has a strong emphasis on sustainability and the need for a coherent partnership framework between public and private sector agencies.www.prep-peterborough.org

greater Peterborough Partnership (gPP) The GPP brings together representatives from the public, private and community sectors to help realise a strategy for Peterborough’s economic growth and social cohesion. Its vision for the city is rooted in the belief that growth must be accompanied by a higher quality of life for local people. The GPP wants to make Peterborough a model of sustainable growth and at the centre of a wider community of villages and market towns around the city.www.gpp-peterborough.org.uk

Peterborough environment City trust (PeCt) PECT was set up in 1992 as an independent charitable trust to help develop Peterborough as one of the UK’s first environment cities. The organisation manages the Green Grid and Green Wheel projects as well as having subsidiaries that provide consultancy, training and support for business and the community. It works closely with OP, the PCC and regional agencies to keep Peterborough at the forefront of environmental development, especially in housing, transport and energy and waste management.

Below: Peterborough city centre is a mix of old and new

www.kierresidential.co.uk

VIBE HOUSING 17

The city’s long awaited, large-scale residential developments are now under construction. John Windell reports on the bid to accommodate Peterborough’s booming population

When Peterborough Was officially designated a new town in 1968, the aim was to provide plenty of fresh and attractive housing for the overspill population from london. this would be achieved by constructing a series of ‘townships’, including bretton and the ortons.

on its own terms, the plan was a success. the houses went up, the people moved in, and found jobs in the city’s many manufacturing industries. but with the recession of the 1980s and beyond, things changed. Many of the traditional employers disappeared, and the infrastructure remained static. there was a sense of time standing still. even so, between 1971 and 1991, the city’s population had grown by 45% putting pressure on the housing stock.

now it’s Peterborough’s turn again: the government has set a massive growth agenda for the next 10 to 15 years.

redevelopment worth a billion pounds will transform the city’s fortunes and give it a much more prominent position on the country’s economic map. as well as 20,000 new jobs to be created by 2021 there 25,000 new homes. as graeme law, the city council’s strategic planning executive, puts it: “We haven’t been given a top limit, we have been given the starting numbers for

major growth. so in a sense the strategy is very simple: to grow.”

Plan of action Developing and managing that strategy is a key task, however. opportunity Peterborough (oP) and the city council are embarking on an integrated growth study, looking to map out sustainable growth for the city. “for example, we want to intensify the city centre,” says steve compton, oP’s director of development. “because it is too small and hasn’t got the critical mass for a city the size of Peterborough, we want to increase the density and introduce city living – between 3,000 and 5,000 residences within the central area.”

that’s just a fraction of the 25,000, so where will the rest go? “there will be a need for further developments outside the city centre core. in making these choices we will need to make sure there are connections back to city centre, to other districts, and to local services. the whole essence behind the residential growth in Peterborough is a pattern of sustainable growth.”

Part of this approach will be to work with housebuilders to integrate existing developments, such as that at the hamptons, which has been under way

Putting the house in order

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Above: The city’s housing development projects will complement Peterborough’s regeneration

18 VIBE HOUSING

for a few years now. although based on a masterplan drawn up in the 1990s, the hamptons is making strides in adapting to current thinking on sustainability and diversification. “o&h hampton is looking at sustainable housing, at larger executive-type housing, a variety of things,” says steve compton.

healthy habitatsthe issue of sustainable development has added importance for Peterborough given its status as one of the uK’s four ‘environment cities’. “Part of our move to this new level of growth has been the desire to become the environment capital,” says graeme law. “We’re putting a whole series of measures in place to guarantee the sustainability and quality of the housing and so justify that title.”

steve compton is equally assertive on this point. “it is all about housing standards. not just in terms of eco-homes, but also urban design, the space in which buildings are set and how they connect back to other parts of the city.”

there is a project going on in the city to bring forward a “carbon challenge” site in Peterborough, an english Partnerships scheme to create a large development of highly sustainable eco-homes. the site is located between the city’s football club and the railway line. “this could deliver up to 400 eco-homes,” says steve compton, “which would demonstrate what we can do on a large scale - more than any other city has done, it would stamp our claim on being the ‘environment capital’.”

obstacle raceamid the optimism, there is an acknowledgement that there are a number of hurdles to overcome; one of them is getting the housing package right,

especially in the context of the city’s other issues. “We had a summit earlier this year,” says steve compton, “with a large number of businesses, particularly from the environmental technology sector, and they all said we struggle to attract people to come and work and live in Peterborough because there isn’t the variety and quality of housing that people are looking for.”

the simple admission is that Peterborough doesn’t yet have the appeal for some people, particularly young graduates who have the skills and social commodities the city badly needs. “it’s a question of offering the whole package,” says steve compton. this includes a variety of high-quality housing across a range of locations, and the regeneration of the city centre area, its night time economy, leisure offer, and cultural facilities. “it is all interlinked,” he says. “no single thing is exclusive. the housing strategy has to underpin that.”

for graeme law the challenges are

about cooperative, collaborative working. “this is not a run-down city where nobody wants to develop or invest. We have a queue of people who want to be a part of this and we’re developing the mechanisms for getting them involved. Developers are signing up to providing more sustainable and better quality housing, they aren’t resistant in any way.”

forWarD Motion there is clear momentum behind Peterborough’s growth. this comes in large part from Peterborough’s legacy as a new ➳

develOPerS are SIGNING UP TO PrOvIdING mOre SUSTaINable aNd beTTer qUalITy HOUSING, THey areN’T reSISTaNT IN aNy Way

Right: Peterborough will offer a variety of house styles, from country cottages to modern city centre apartments

VIBE HOUSING 19

20 VIBE HOUSING

town and a sense that it is the natural order of things. the government knows this, too, and has focused on the city’s ability and capacity to accommodate the sort of housing growth that is significant on a national scale. “We have people here who are not frightened of growth, and who are in many ways very publicly spirited,” says graeme law.

he also believes the city’s economic and employment balance will help attract new people: “it’s got more than one string to play. it has a decent office sector, a manufacturing sector, a mixture of high-tech and low-tech.” it works as a multicultural city, too, and as one that welcomes its newcomers, he continues. “Most of the people involved in the business sector were at one point incomers themselves. Peterborough has good reason to really value its new citizens.”

steve compton says the aim now is get projects moving, so that people start to believe in Peterborough’s change. “While there might be a lot of fancy plans and pictures, we are actually in a very strong position to deliver much of this. the land is in public/private ownership and there is a will among all those involved. it’s a question of proving to people that Peterborough is changing – and delivering on the promise of becoming a genuinely desirable place in which to live.” ❑

Above: Housing construction is under way across Peterborough to provide the 25,000 new homes required by 2021

IT’S a qUeSTION Of PrOvING TO PeOPle THaT PeTerbOrOUGH IS cHaNGING aNd IS becOmING a GeNUINely deSIrable Place IN WHIcH TO lIve

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Education is vital to Peterborough’s future to provide the highly skilled workforce on which the city’s social and economic health depends. and it looks to be on the up: access to higher education will improve – until now, despite its young population (22% under 16), Peterborough is the largest town or city in the country without its own university – and there are two new schools in the pipeline.

there are two new higher education, developments afoot, with a joint venture between Peterborough Regional college (PRc) and regional player anglia Ruskin university. at the moment, PRc offers 20 courses for 800 students on subjects ranging from art and design to construction. its student numbers are set to rise to more than 4,000 by 2012 with the arrival of anglia Ruskin, which is adding campuses in both Peterborough and Harlow to those already in cambridge and chelmsford. the East of England development agency (EEda) has already provided £3.8 million for the Peterborough campus, and a further £20 million has been guaranteed by central government. a joint venture company between the university and PRc was created in February to head the academic and operational running of the campus.

Peterborough’s much-needed university will be built over time and its offer tailored

to local needs. according to stephen Forster of the council’s education department, “the plan is to build up the number of students studying for degrees and then build the grants, other inputs and infrastructure for full university status.”

these developments will bring university expertise and resources close to business and industry, and help further improve certain sectors of the local economy, especially the environmental sector. Professor david tidmarsh, Ruskin vice-chancellor, says: “anglia Ruskin has a history of providing many services for industry. it is our vision to create a self-sustaining university campus for the city, around which a reinvigorated business infrastructure can thrive.”

the £10 million university centre at PRc will open in 2009 and effectively triple current student numbers. Backing the project is the Higher Education Funding council for England, with further resources due from EEda and the learning and skills council. don lawson, the principal of the college, says this is the result of two years collaborative planning between his institution and anglia Ruskin. “it means that at last we can focus on a quality new education venture for Peterborough,” he says, “with courses that reflect the growing needs of the city’s business community.”

healthy, wealthy, wise

Underpinning the hopes for Peterborough’s future, says David Gray, are the new schools and hospitals needed to train the community, and keep it healthy

22 VIBE EDUCATION&HEALTH

➳

VIBE EDUCATION&HEALTH 23

Left and below: The new Thomas Deacon Academy will be the largest in the countryRight: Peterborough Regional College, soon to be expanded

24 VIBE EDUCATION&HEALTH

the centre will be on the college’s existing site at Park crescent and form the heart of a new education quarter for the city.

steve compton, director of development at urban regeneration company opportunity Peterborough (oP), believes that the ambition of an autonomous university is now well and truly achievable. “it’s a fantastic success in bringing forward the university in Peterborough. it will do a lot to help the business base and the new students will provide liveliness in the city centre.” Peterborough’s MP stewart Jackson agrees with the positive effect that students will have on the life of the city, saying that “the new centre will stop some people leaving Peterborough for university and also encourage students to move and stay here”.

as wEll as anglia Ruskin and PRc, there are two other important new initiatives that will ensure that educational improvements also benefit business and industry. the Peterborough Enterprise centre opened in May 2005 to help people starting their own businesses, funded to the tune of £2 million, until the end of 2007, by EEda and the European Regeneration development Fund. alison lys, head of skills at EEda, says “it is a major step forward for the region in developing a skills base to support a world class economy”.

oP, Peterborough city council and EEda are in the process of developing an innovation centre to support the growth of Peterborough based businesses. there are also exciting developments for the city’s

schools. the sir norman Foster-designed thomas deacon academy, which is due to open in Queen’s gardens alongside PRc and the planned university campus, will complete the education quarter. costing £47 million, it will be the largest city academy in the country, with 2,200 students between 11 and 19 years old. while the project is mainly being funded by the department for Education and skills, local firm Perkins Engines is also a major sponsor.

then there is the voyager school, on track to open this autumn with specialist arts college status. other educational expansion is focused around the rapidly growing Hampton district, where a new secondary school (Hampton college) has already opened and four primary schools will be ready by 2008.

also important to Peterborough residents, now and in the future, is its health infrastructure. this is receiving a major boost as part of the city’s regeneration. the biggest developments are the construction of a new 612-bed acute hospital for the Peterborough and stamford Hospitals nHs Foundation trust and a 102-bed mental health unit for the cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mental Health Partnership nHs trust on the Edith cavell site at Bretton. another scheme involves constructing an integrated care centre for the Peterborough Primary care trust on the Fenland wing site, off thorpe Road. these three trusts are working together in the greater Peterborough Health investment Plan, a £335 million

PFi healthcare project recently given final approval. construction work on all three new facilities started in July. concentrating acute and mental health services on the Edith cavell site will free up a large parcel of land which is currently the site of the Peterborough district Hospital; this is scheduled for redevelopment as a mixed-use site. the whole project has been eased by the fact that no major planning issues stood in the way of developing the Edith cavell site, and all the partners were in agreement on the size and features of the new health facilities.

on the preventative health side of things, Hampton can look forward to a leisure centre, after putting in a planning application in december 2006. on a 2ha site in london Road, the £12 million centre will cover more than 7,000sq m, and provide five tennis courts, four badminton courts and two swimming pools. a decision on the project will be made soon, and it already has local backing.

as John Bridge, chief executive of the Peterborough chamber of commerce, says: there’s a clear link between such health and sports facilities and the needs of expanding businesses in the city. “Businesses are concerned about ensuring the health of their employees. it is a real accolade for Peterborough that david lloyd wants to invest here.” ❑

THErE’s A CLEAr LINk bETwEEN HEALTH AND sPOrTs fACILITIEs AND THE NEEDs Of ExPANDINg bUsINEssEs IN THE CITy

Sustainability is an essential element to every project Halcrow works on. With our purpose of sustaining and improving the quality of people’s lives, we understand that environmental concerns and investing in the future are important – to us and to our clients.

We specialise in planning, design and management services for infrastructure development worldwide. As an international company, we’re able to bring together world-class expertise and experience, from diverse projects like the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, the development of Dubai and the Broadland Private Finance Initiative, with the local knowledge within each of our offices.

We’ve been working in Peterborough since 1987, helping our clients to meet the challenges of sustainable growth across the East of England.

The long-term relationships we have established with our clients help us to deliver advice, cost-effective and focused solutions, from concept to completion. With our local knowledge, our work is always in harmony with the local environment.

We work with a broad range of local clients on projects as diverse as creating the Development Framework for the city’s Station Quarter, Bedford Station Quarter development brief and the Environmental Impact Assessment, regeneration studies in Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft, infrastructure studies for utilities and government authorities and the sustainable urban extension to Northampton.

We were appointed by the Millennium Commission to oversee the Peterborough Green Wheel project, for example, that gave Peterborough an 80km environmentally sustainable network of cycleways, footpaths and bridleways which provide safe, continuous routes around the city with radiating spokes connecting to the city centre for the people of Peterborough to enjoy.

Peterborough’s Station Quarter Case Study

Not many cities have the opportunity to undertake a major mixed use regeneration project in a location with such a strategic position, close to the centre of the city and one which provides direct and easy access to Europe’s most important capital. Halcrow are doing just this.

Peterborough needs a major impulse to boost its economic and social vitality. Playing a key part in the regeneration of the city, the Peterborough Station quarter is the most important location to generate stimulus. The size and position of the area allow for a development with a strong identity; a development with a character that complements the qualities already available in Peterborough

The Station Quarter development is a crucial project for Peterborough and will deliver a high quality mixed use development for the city over a 22 hectare site as well as creating a world class visually stunning gateway for Peterborough. The new station improvements will lead to easier access to and from the city centre. There will also be benefits through the provision of a new city quarter that embraces the ethos of 21st century city centre living, with sustainability at its heart.

The railway sector will benefit from a significantly improved station with better access from east and west of the city; provision of associated retail opportunities currently enjoyed at many major UK rail stations; increased dedicated parking in close proximity to the platforms; and a reduction in congestion in the vicinity of the station. These benefits lead to minimising the journey times between home and the train

The project will become an integrated part of the City Centre and will allow Peterborough to be seen as a first class destination.

For more information on how Halcrow can help make your project a success, contact:

Gareth HeatleyEndeavour House•Forder Way•Cygnet Park•Hampton•Peterborough•PE7 8GXTelephone: 01733 560033Mobile: 07713 656376Email: HeatleyG@halcrow.comwww.halcrow.com

White City, London

Channel Tunnel Rail Link

Toronto Pearson International Airport, Canada

Clyde Arc Bridge, Glasgow

Ealing Broadway Station, London

World-class consultantlocal solutions

•Peterborough•Bedford•Birmingham•Bristol•Cardiff•Chichester•Crawley•Derby•Edinburgh • Exeter•Glasgow•Handforth•Inverness•Kent•Leeds•London•Newcastle•Norwich•Plymouth•Reading•Swindon•Tees Valley•Waltham Cross•

•Worcester•York - Museum St •York - Lendal•Dublin•Budapest•Bucharest•Warsaw•Riga•St Peterburg•Beijing•Shanghai•Hong Kong•Manila•Kuala Lumpar•Bangkok•Hanoi•Dehli•Sydney•Melbourne•Brisbane•Rio de Janeiro•

•Buenos Aires•Santiago•Belize City•Libya•Syria•Karachi•Bahrain•Dubai•Qatar•Abu Dhabi•Sharjah•Vancouver•Toronto•New York•Washington•Atlanta•Jacksonville•Tampa•Houston•Cayman Islands•Austin•Long Beach•

Sustainability is an essential element to every project Halcrow works on. With our purpose of sustaining and improving the quality of people’s lives, we understand that environmental concerns and investing in the future are important – to us and to our clients.

We specialise in planning, design and management services for infrastructure development worldwide. As an international company, we’re able to bring together world-class expertise and experience, from diverse projects like the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, the development of Dubai and the Broadland Private Finance Initiative, with the local knowledge within each of our offices.

We’ve been working in Peterborough since 1987, helping our clients to meet the challenges of sustainable growth across the East of England.

The long-term relationships we have established with our clients help us to deliver advice, cost-effective and focused solutions, from concept to completion. With our local knowledge, our work is always in harmony with the local environment.

We work with a broad range of local clients on projects as diverse as creating the Development Framework for the city’s Station Quarter, Bedford Station Quarter development brief and the Environmental Impact Assessment, regeneration studies in Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft, infrastructure studies for utilities and government authorities and the sustainable urban extension to Northampton.

We were appointed by the Millennium Commission to oversee the Peterborough Green Wheel project, for example, that gave Peterborough an 80km environmentally sustainable network of cycleways, footpaths and bridleways which provide safe, continuous routes around the city with radiating spokes connecting to the city centre for the people of Peterborough to enjoy.

Peterborough’s Station Quarter Case Study

Not many cities have the opportunity to undertake a major mixed use regeneration project in a location with such a strategic position, close to the centre of the city and one which provides direct and easy access to Europe’s most important capital. Halcrow are doing just this.

Peterborough needs a major impulse to boost its economic and social vitality. Playing a key part in the regeneration of the city, the Peterborough Station quarter is the most important location to generate stimulus. The size and position of the area allow for a development with a strong identity; a development with a character that complements the qualities already available in Peterborough

The Station Quarter development is a crucial project for Peterborough and will deliver a high quality mixed use development for the city over a 22 hectare site as well as creating a world class visually stunning gateway for Peterborough. The new station improvements will lead to easier access to and from the city centre. There will also be benefits through the provision of a new city quarter that embraces the ethos of 21st century city centre living, with sustainability at its heart.

The railway sector will benefit from a significantly improved station with better access from east and west of the city; provision of associated retail opportunities currently enjoyed at many major UK rail stations; increased dedicated parking in close proximity to the platforms; and a reduction in congestion in the vicinity of the station. These benefits lead to minimising the journey times between home and the train

The project will become an integrated part of the City Centre and will allow Peterborough to be seen as a first class destination.

For more information on how Halcrow can help make your project a success, contact:

Gareth HeatleyEndeavour House•Forder Way•Cygnet Park•Hampton•Peterborough•PE7 8GXTelephone: 01733 560033Mobile: 07713 656376Email: HeatleyG@halcrow.comwww.halcrow.com

White City, London

Channel Tunnel Rail Link

Toronto Pearson International Airport, Canada

Clyde Arc Bridge, Glasgow

Ealing Broadway Station, London

World-class consultantlocal solutions

•Peterborough•Bedford•Birmingham•Bristol•Cardiff•Chichester•Crawley•Derby•Edinburgh • Exeter•Glasgow•Handforth•Inverness•Kent•Leeds•London•Newcastle•Norwich•Plymouth•Reading•Swindon•Tees Valley•Waltham Cross•

•Worcester•York - Museum St •York - Lendal•Dublin•Budapest•Bucharest•Warsaw•Riga•St Peterburg•Beijing•Shanghai•Hong Kong•Manila•Kuala Lumpar•Bangkok•Hanoi•Dehli•Sydney•Melbourne•Brisbane•Rio de Janeiro•

•Buenos Aires•Santiago•Belize City•Libya•Syria•Karachi•Bahrain•Dubai•Qatar•Abu Dhabi•Sharjah•Vancouver•Toronto•New York•Washington•Atlanta•Jacksonville•Tampa•Houston•Cayman Islands•Austin•Long Beach•

28 VIBE BUSINESS CLUSTERS

“pETERBoRoUgh’S gREENERy makES IT aN aTTRaCTIvE pLaCE To LIvE, ENCoURagINg STaff To movE wITh ThE CompaNy”richard jones, barker storey matthews, commercial agent

I❤PB

VIBE BUSINESS CLUSTERS 29

gather together

Peterborough is aN increasingly popular location for businesses – from big names to start-up companies, and from relocations to organic growth – helped by the work of opportunity Peterborough (oP) in raising the city’s profile and its companies and developments. that work is already generating results: according to royal Mail’s “business barometer survey”, the city leads the uK with a 3.78% increase in business population growth between april and september last year. For example, general and Medical insurance moved its headquarters as part of an expansion programme, citing the excellent transport connections as the primary reason for its choice, ikea built its £40 million distribution centre in Peterborough because of its proximity to the east coast ports and the city’s pool of skilled workers, and since bNP Paribas relocated to Lynch Wood business park it has trebled its staff, recruiting locally.

but from oP’s point of view, some of strengths that have traditionally enabled the city to attract business are now not in tune with how the city now needs to grow, according to director of development steve Compton. “in looking at how to take Peterborough forward we’ve been very careful to make sure that we aren’t just playing to traditional strengths, but to those strengths that can grow – and create the right kind of growth,” he says.

“For example, for years now we’ve been strong on distribution and logistics. but that is a space-hungry business and it tends to create low value-added jobs – those which

won’t encourage a sophisticated skills base in the local workforce.”

Financial services is another traditionally strong sector in Peterborough. but oP says it needs to be selective in growing that sector as only attracting back-office functions, such as call centres, might not be best for the city’s future. says steve Compton: “that would risk competition from other places such as india and we have to ask: where does that get us in the long run?”

in analysing how best to help Peterborough’s economy grow, oP identified sectors on which to focus, including three core areas: environmental technology, digital media and food manufacturing.

environmental technology is the most exciting of these sectors, given the upsurge of interest in climate change and other environmental issues, and Peterborough’s unique position as home to organisations such as the environment agency, Natural england (formerly english Nature) and uK CeeD (the Centre for economic and environmental Development, set up in 1984 to promote the role of businesses in environmental improvement). according to uK CeeD, there is a network of 350 environmental organisations in Peterborough, the uK’s largest environment cluster. (see page 34 for an in-depth analysis of this sector).

the city is also home to a rapidly growing digital media cluster, a legacy of local publishing groups including eMaP, which helped generate and sustain a flourishing range of traditional

peterborough’s business clusters are transforming it into a centre of excellence for food, media, financial and environmental services. Kirsty Macaulay reports

➳

peterborough: a model location

skilled work forceQuality of life

low property priceslocation

transport linksbusiness clusters

above: Peterborough has a lot going for it as a business location, from its location to its quality of life (below)

30 VIBE BUSINESS CLUSTERS

print, broadcasting and now digital media enterprises. significantly, while several other regions in the uK boast strong media sectors, Peterborough has a particular strength in digital media, the fastest-growing sector nationally and internationally.

similarly, there is potential to make more of traditional strengths in Peterborough’s food industry. the food industry has a long-standing history in the area, thanks to its proximity to prime farmland and excellent transport networks for distribution by rail, road, air and sea. the greater Peterborough area includes 256,000 hectares of farmland, 4,200 farms, 100 food manufacturers and 350 food-related companies. the area’s agri-food industry generates £2 billion of trade annually, and Peterborough is home to some of the industry’s major players such as british sugar, McCain and the New Covent garden Food Company. Peterborough boasts businesses encompassing all areas of the food industry, from production and preparation to distribution and including cold stores, machinery manufacturing and packaging sectors.

“it’s not just that our companies are adding value to food, which sees particular skills sets emerging in the local economy,” says steve Compton. “there is the added factor that lifestyles have changed, too. Now that more people demand meals that are cooked quickly and simply, our companies have a growing uK market. Crucially for us at opportunity Peterborough, we see growing export markets too: the penetration of prepared food in european markets is very low compared to the uK, so we see very real opportunities for this business cluster to grow in the long term as well as the short term.”

the term “business cluster” keeps recurring in any discussion with oP about Peterborough’s potential for growth. the concept is straightforward: companies gathered in clusters benefit from proximity

to local, related companies and services: packagers, for example, or consultants or suppliers or facilities. the local workforce tends to develop specialist skills to service these businesses, encouraged by education authorities and jobs and skills agencies. the clusters then develop a momentum of their own, as newer companies are drawn to the area’s existing services, expanding and strengthening local business networks.

Plus, as new businesses spin off existing companies, or entrepreneurs emerge, they tend to locate locally to take advantage of known customers, skills and services. of course, sometimes the market requires a little public sector intervention, and Matthew hartley, general manager at Peterborough firm Food east, says more support is needed to encourage local industrialists. “there needs to be more engagement with small companies who often need a helping hand with information and provision of services,” he says. “supporting the network of small businesses is invaluable to the success of the city’s clusters.”

Peterborough enterprise Centre was created last year to address this concern, supporting people starting up their own businesses. the centre has been remarkably successful, providing a base for business advisors offering information and courses covering the essential skills needed to run a business. oP and its partners are now looking at establishing an innovation centre to offer space for new businesses in a bid to

eNVIro MedIaFood

machine productiondistribution

Preparationrefrigation

Packagingagriculture

Publishingadvertising

marketingPrint

wasteenergy

water

above: three of Peterborough’s main business clusters – food, environment and media – help feed each other with services they need. and all are influenced by the environmental expertise around the city

VIBE BUSINESS CLUSTERS 31

Why We’re in Peterborough

“Budget Insurance was estaBlIshed In PeterBorough In 1992. the maIn attractIon of the cIty for emPloyers Is the large-scale develoPment to attract and retaIn a skIlled workforce In a transIent skIlls market” Sue How, HR manageR, Budget InSuRance

“clusters attract ancIllary servIces and offer a shared Infrastructure. food IndustrIes BenefIt from the access to warehouses, sPecIalIst PackagIng, refrIgeratIon and dIstrIButIon servIces avaIlaBle locally” mattHew HaRtley, Food eaSt

“clusters are great for networkIng and drawIng on the exPertIse of lIkemInded comPanIes – there Is always someone In town who knows the answer to your questIon” mIke Holland, Smye-Holland

“durIng the 60 years we’ve Been In PeterBorough we’ve Become one of the uk’s most successful medIa comPanIes and the cIty has Become one of the toP fIve centres of medIa excellence. our success Is relIant on our aBIlIty to attract creatIve talent. BeIng sIted In PeterBorough Is Part of that success”Ian templeton, gRoup md, emap

encourage innovation in industry. strong partnerships between public

sector organisations and the business community are at the heart of oP and the council’s cluster strategy to improve business growth. bill agnew, oP’s business liaison executive, explains: “We’re very aware that ambitious plans require a strong partnership between the public and private sectors. We’ve built strong ties in recent years but aim to develop them further. the business engagement programme was set up to provide a useful point of contact for companies establishing themselves in the area, keeping them informed on local developments and giving access to information-sharing forums.”

of course, oP is not ignoring Peterborough’s traditional strengths: it’s close to the a1(M), so access to the rest of the country by car is easy and it is just 50 minutes by train to London. as richard Jones of commercial agent barker storey Matthews says: “the availability and relatively low cost of housing, compared with London, enables relocating companies to keep key staff, and the comparative greenery of the area makes it an attractive place to live, encouraging staff to move with the company.” and with grade a rents at about £15 per sq ft compared to £20 in Cambridge and £50-70 in London, he points to “a range of commercial properties available. From warehouses to serviced offices, rented, short lets or to buy, and if the right property is not available it can be built relatively quickly”.

the final refreshing attraction for London firms seeking new premises is that getting around within greater Peterborough is easy. “the city has been designed with good public transport at its heart,” says richard Jones. “it really works – you can get to most places in 10 or 20 minutes.” a series of dual carriageways divert traffic away from the city centre and commuting traffic has an average speed of 34.9 miles per hour – compared with just 9.9 miles in London. q

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34 VIBE ENVIRONMENTAL CAPITAL

In these envIronmentally aware times, Peterborough has a lofty ambition: to be the UK’s environment capital. It hasn’t got far to go. It was voted one of four environment cities in 1993 (along with leeds, leicester and middlesbrough) for its commitment to sustainability in all aspects of life, and is home to more than 350 companies in the ‘environment cluster’. what’s more, a survey by local life in november 2006 rated the city as the second most eco-friendly place to live in

With its core of environmental businesses and green infrastructure, and sustainability at the heart of its planning policies, Peterborough is set to become the environment capital of the UK. David Gray investigates

the UK. It is also surrounded by four areas of unspoilt countryside: the Bedford levels, to the north of the city, the Great Fen on the south; the river nene washes in the east; and the beautiful John Clare Country on the west. the city centre even has its own slice of countryside, in the form of 800ha of parkland alongside the river nene.

Peterborough’s environmental vision for the future is ambitious. Public and private organisations want the city to be a centre of excellence at the national and even international level. new development will be as environmentally aware and sustainable as possible: transport plans will emphasise walking, cycling, buses and trains over private cars; and new buildings will be water- and energy-efficient, with recycling facilities.

opportunity Peterborough (oP) is determined that future growth of the city will make it more, not less, green. as steve Bowyer, oP’s head of projects, says: “In the old days, development on the green belt put too much load on infrastructure. now, we’re going for ‘smart growth’, using brownfield sites to increase density, where we can leverage with infrastructure. our integrated growth study is all about delivering development sustainably.”

as far as becoming a centre of green excellence goes, the city is already home to several organisations with excellent credentials and expertise – natural england

and the environment agency, to name but two. on a local level, the Peterborough environmental City trust (PeCt), was set up in 1992 as a partnership embracing 200 businesses and community and environmental organisations to deliver important, innovative projects.

Crucially, PeCt sees the economic expansion of the city as an opportunity to build a sustainable future, not as an environmental threat. as hugh Cripps, PeCt’s chief executive, says: “our aim is for Peterborough to be the city of choice for business relocation, with a happy and healthy population and a quality of life envied across the UK.”

with the current thinking on climate change, looking after the environment is big business. the city is already home to a number of significant environmental businesses and is building on this to become a national centre for eco-business activity. In fact, it has the biggest concentration of environmental goods and services companies and organisations in the UK with over 350 firms, employing 5,000 people, and accounting for over 5% of the city’s GDP. waste management and water treatment is a particular speciality, with local businesses including anglian water, ecolochem and hales waste Control.

environmental services and management is another important area for such companies as halcrow Group, aFG and stirling maynard. In engineering,

Green liGht

➳

VIBE ENVIRONMENTAL CAPITAL 35

Green liGht

PETERbOROUgh hAs ThE bIggEsT CONCENTRATION Of ENVIRONMENTAL gOOds ANd sERVICEs COMPANIEs ANd ORgANIsATIONs IN ThE UK

Above: Peterborough is surrounded by beautiful countryside, such as Ferry Meadows country park

VIBE ENVIRONMENTAL CAPITAL 37

where Peterborough has long had a thriving sector, Perkins engines is a world leader in emissions control, while pollution control and energy management are key activities for the local subsidiaries of British sugar and Indesit.

From its Peterborough base, UK Centre for economic and environmental Development (UK CeeD) has been working with business, government and the voluntary sector since 1984, identifying market opportunities for sustainable technologies. Jonathan selwyn, chief executive, puts environmental businesses at the top of his list of what is needed to create a true environment city, and believes that training and information can help the significant cluster of such businesses in the Peterborough area grow much larger.

UK CeeD also analyses the financial performance of eco-businesses across Britain through its enviroDaq Index, and has struck a partnership with investment banking giant Goldman sachs.

the Centre for sustainable engineering (a UK CeeD affiliate), works with Cranfield University as a national clearing house for knowledge transfer for both large and small companies. It is now also helping environmental goods and services companies in eastern england source training and skills grants from a new £4 million fund backed by the east of england regional Development agency (eeDa) and the european Union, running from 2007 to 2010.

to attract further environmental companies – such as current residents designer Cunnington Clark and consultant royal haskoning – into the city, oP’s plans for the city include a green quarter of low-carbon office buildings suitable for green companies. the quarter will be of the

highest possible standards of sustainable build and operation, and tenanted by a mixture of private businesses and public organisations.

steve Bowyer says: “this visible heart for businesses will not only be tenanted by green environmental players, but will also be green in its operation and appearance. we’re looking for a location at the moment

Right: The city has an established network of cycle paths...Below: ... and a thriving leisure scene

➳

38 VIBE ENVIRONMENTAL CAPITAL

– around the station quarter would be ideal, and be highly visible on entering the city.”

the city’s position as a centre for demonstration projects was given a boost earlier this year when a 10ha site on Glebe road was chosen by english Partnerships as one of the first two sites for its Carbon Challenge initiative. the idea aims to fast-track developments that combine exceptional environmental performance with high standards of design, as a testing ground for the government’s sustainability and climate change legislation, and to accelerate the move towards zero-carbon development. steve Bowyer says: “we’re lucky to be one of two chosen for eP’s carbon challenge sites. the project will attract developers and architects, and create a step change in design standards.”

naturally, sustainable transport is another vital ingredient for the new environment city. But it’s not a new phenomenon for the city: Peterborough is already one of three sustainable transport demonstration towns in the country and the city’s transport strategy is now attracting praise and increased funding from central government.

the local transport Plan 2006, which covers the period to 2012, has been backed by almost £8 million from the Department of transport for the first year (2006-2007) alone – double the previous annual grant. according to andy ross, the council’s transport planning manager, the new funding “will enable rapid progress on key projects such as public transport corridors, urban traffic management and strategic walking and cycling networks”.

tying in public transport, is Peterborough’s travelchoice initiative, which started in 2004 with a £3 million grant from the Department of transport to encourage greater use of more sustainable forms of travel such as walking, cycling, public transport and car sharing. travelchoice has launched a whole range of sustainable travel initiatives since it was launched and also provides detailed local information on buses, trains, cycle routes and footpaths via its website (www.travelchoice.org.uk) and through

the travelchoice information centre in Queensgate bus station.

But it is impossible to leave the private car out of realistic transport planning. the new developments in both the city centre and the periphery need to cater for increases in driving and parking. a major scheme for the Fletton Parkway has received a £7 million grant from central government, with completion scheduled for march 2008. this will include a new footbridge linking hampton with orton township. the station itself will also get more parking as part of its own redevelopment.

on a municipal services level, too, Peterborough is leading the way in environmental thinking. eastex, an important new recycling service, was launched in 2006 as a materials exchange programme which finds uses for waste that would otherwise go to landfill. examples range from a donation of 3.5 tonnes of pot-pourri by Peterborough cosmetics firm Potter and moore to local arts and community groups, to finding uses for equipment from local food factories and printing works.

Improving energy efficiency in both homes and businesses is essential for any green-thinking city, and Peterborough has some of the best schemes in the country. PeCt is in partnership with anglia energy services to help reduce heating costs for social landlords, and its PCl consultancy subsidiary is issuing energy performance certificates for all house sales from June 2007 onwards. a separate partnership

between PeCt, the city council and aran services was set up last year to pay the entire cost of insulating the owner-occupied homes of older people with low incomes.

In the BUsIness seCtor, the norwich and Peterborough Building society won one of the first national energy efficiency awards in December 2006 for its environmental targets scheme, in place since 2001, which monitors and manages

PETERbOROUgh’s ‘gREEN gRId’ Of PARKs, CyCLEWAys ANd hAbITATs ExIsTs TO ENsURE NEW dEVELOPMENT AVOIds dAMAgE TO ExIsTINg NATURE sITEs, OR ACTUALLy CREATEs NEW ONEs

VIBE ENVIRONMENTAL CAPITAL 39

Above: All development in the city will avoid damaging existing nature sites, and even create new ones

energy use in all the society’s offices. the scheme has not only reduced waste but also proved highly cost-effective.

all this business activity has a thoroughly green setting. to capitalise on the wonderful countryside around the city, PeCt and Peterborough City Council have established a ‘Green Grid’ — a network of parks, cycleways and habitats across Greater Peterborough. the grid – a partnership between natural england,

the Forestry Commission, environment agency and Peterborough City Council – received £1 million in 2006 from the government’s Growth area Fund. the underlying purpose of the grid, launched in may 2007, is to ensure that all new development avoids damage to existing nature sites and, wherever possible, actually creates new ones.

a good example of this is in the hampton development, which is including a country ➳

40 VIBE ENVIRONMENTAL CAPITAL

PETERbOROUgh Is ALREAdy ONE Of ThREE sUsTAINAbLE TRANsPORT dEMONsTRATION TOWNs IN ThE COUNTRy

park of 160 hectares and a nature reserve of 120 hectares. the latter will protect over 70 species of animal and plant life, including europe’s largest colony of great crested newts. another big part of the grid will be the 400ha south Peterborough Green Park, work on which has already started.

Part of the grid is PeCt’s Green wheel, comprising 50 miles of cycleways, footpaths and bridleways through villages in the Fens and along the nene valley. this has already secured £11 million in funding, half of which will come from the national lottery.

as well as its work with public bodies and business, PeCt wants to make Peterborough’s grass roots as green as possible. there is the annual Peterborough Green Festival in the summer and, for the past two years, a welcome to nature showcase at the east of england anand mela, annual event for the region’s asian community.

the city’s growth agenda privides the basis on which to expand the cluster, and add more environment proejects. a key

Above: Ferry Meadows

project is the integrated growth study, oP’s contribution to the council’s core strategy, covering housing, jobs, transport, and infrastructure requirements. oP will be working with arup, an internationial consultancy responsible for China’s ‘eco-city’ Dongtang on the study. It also hosted the first environment summit in February 2006 to raise the profile of the environmental cluster and ensure any growth plans benefit from local, top-notch thinking.

as steve Bowyer says: “a lot of towns and cities want to be the UK’s environment capital, but with them it’s always about how they’re ‘going to’ operate in the future.

“Peterborough already has three foundations in place: a strong cluster of environmental businesses (which is difficult to replicate); green infrastructure, and operating practices in reducing waste and improving energy and water efficiency.” q

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42 VIBE DEVELOPMENT UPDATE

Work will start this year on improving the train station and surrounding area. The £500 million project will provide office and residential space and is due for completion in 2012

VIBE DEVELOPMENT UPDATE 43

Grand desiGns

Major changes are on the horizon as Peterborough’s development plans spring into action this year, with work starting on several of the city’s main projects

Peterborough’s renewal is really speeding up in 2007. the essential groundwork of co-operation and partnership between the city council, regional and regeneration agencies and developers has been well laid over the past two years, especially since the launch of opportunity Peterborough (oP) in 2005. radiating outwards from the heart of the city is rapid progress, with developments in housing, commerce and infrastructure.

STATiON QUArTErat the heart of the station area is an emerging proposal from oP and ing real estate in conjunction with green Ventures, to develop over 23,000sq m of zero carbon offices. this new green quarter will provide much needed high-specification offices immediately adjacent to the railway station, with excellent connections to london and other east Coast Mainline cities such as york and edinburgh.

the station area is the main gateway to the city centre and is about to further benefit from one of the most dynamic redevelopments in Peterborough. a

partnership between ing real estate and network rail is producing a £500 million project to create a whole new integrated mixed-use district. new homes and offices will be built on land either side of the existing east Coast rail line. new public squares will be created on each side of the station itself and a ‘land bridge’ will join the station to the new north westgate and Queensgate retail developments and the historic city centre. More car parking and a new bus station will accompany improvements to the station, which will include a new station lobby.

QUEENSgATE AND NOrTh WESTgATE ShOPPiNg cENTrEthe largest component of Peterborough’s renewal is the north westgate scheme, and the expansion of the Queensgate shopping centre, between the railway station and the historic city centre. built in 1982, Queensgate is owned by a joint venture between hammerson and Morley Fund Management (part of norwich union). the existing 75,000sq m of retail space, anchored by John lewis, waitrose and

rAPiD PrOgrESS iS ExPEcTED WiTh DEVELOPMENTS iN hOUSiNg, cOMMErcE AND iNfrASTrUcTUrE cOMMENciNg ThiS yEAr

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44 VIBE DEVELOPMENT UPDATE

Marks & spencer, is already popular, and visited by 335,000 shoppers a week.

the £350 million plan includes the expansion of the Queensgate centre into a new 60,000sq m development at adjacent north westgate. it will be anchored by a flagship Marks and spencer store, with a leisure quarter developed in a new street and square around westgate Church, and a new bus interchange on bourges boulevard. the planning application will be in this year.

hAMPTON TOWNShiP hampton, to the south of the city centre, is one of the largest privately funded mixed-use developments in europe. the masterplan for a new township was created in 1997; more than 2,000 homes are built and the pace of activity is increasing during 2007 and 2008. Developer o&h hampton is on track to deliver the complete package of 7,500 homes, nine schools, hampton College and a large community centre.

the township is also the site of Cygnet Park (a 93,000sq m commercial development that will provide up to 8,000 jobs), the serpentine green shopping centre and two distribution centres for ikea and Debenhams. two-thirds of Cygnet Park, and the distribution centres, are complete.

Final planning permission has been given for the development of the 33ha hempsted district on the northern side of hampton, with the building of 675 homes (30% affordable), plus offices, industrial units and shops. an even larger housing development at hampton leys will have 1,700 homes completed by 2014. o&h hampton is working with several builders across the whole of hampton, including bovis, Crest nicholson, george wimpey and Persimmon.

Development at hampton will be especially active during 2007. huntingdon-based artisan uK has started building oPus, £12 million of high-specification offices, and expects the first occupiers during the summer. ruby investments will finish the 1,000sq m Cygnea Place in Cygnet Park by the end of the year.

Perhaps most significant for hampton residents is the start in early 2007 of their new neighbourhood centre at hampton Vale. this is an £11 million project by henry Davidson Developments and includes retail

space and a pub as well as the community centre. the whole development should be complete by summer 2008.

PETErbOrOUgh’S hOSPiTALSPeterborough’s new £335 million hospitals project has received final approval from the Department of health and the treasury; work starts on site in July. the project will deliver a 612-bed hospital (opening late 2010) and 102-bed mental health unit on the edith Cavell site in bretton and an integrated care centre (both to open in 2009) on the Fenland wing site off thorpe road. the PFi scheme for the Peterborough and stamford hospitals nhs Foundation trust, Peterborough Primary Care trust and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mental health Partnership nhs trust is being carried out by Peterborough (Progress health) PlC, a consortium of Macquarie bank and Multiplex.

ThOMAS DEAcON AcADEMy AND VOyAgEr SchOOL the new thomas Deacon academy will be the country’s largest and will be completed in september. this £47 million project in Queens gardens, built by laing o’rourke and overseen by gardiner and theobald, is a major addition to the city’s education infrastructure. it is described by geoff ridgway, the council’s cabinet member for education and children’s services, as “an exceptionally good building and an exceptionally good school”. it has external funding of £8.5 million from the Department of education and skills and £2 million from Peterborough’s Perkins engines.

also due to be open before the end of 2007 is the new Voyager school, which

will have specialist arts status, built by bouygues uK, on the site of the old walton Community school. this project is costing £27 million under the Private Finance initiative (PFi) scheme.

OrTON ShOPPiNg AND rESiDENTiAL the orton Centre, in the city’s south west, is being completely modernised in a £37 million retail, housing and commercial transformation by owner orton shopping Centre and local builder Clugston Construction. local residents are delighted with the proposed refurbishment of the old centre, built in the 1970s when orton was developed as a new residential quarter.

the area will also see new housing. Circle anglia housing association completed 60 dwellings during 2006 and is bringing a further 60 residential units to market in 2007. work on almost 100 new apartments started this year.

on the commercial side, lynch wood in orton is the scene of new office developments for Diligenta, a growing business services company that expects more than 1,000 new jobs to be created there in the next three years.

ThE SOUTh bANk the northern area of south bank, between the railway line and glebe road, is designated for an exciting proposal to develop about 400 zero- or near zero-carbon homes, as part of the Department for Communities and local government “carbon challenge” initiative. Peterborough is one of two pilot sites selected. oP director of development steve Compton says: “this is a fantastic opportunity for the city to develop real low-carbon houses on a commercial scale.” the six hectare scheme is a partnership between oP, the city council, english Partnerships and the east of england regional Development agency (eeDa). a competition to select a developer partner is planned for the autumn.

the redevelopment of south bank will ultimately progress northwards to the river, with more housing, leisure, cultural and recreational attractions. some land has already been released by moving b&Q and Matalan into the adjacent boulevard retail Park. Construction of the replacement

ThE cArbON chALLENgE iNiTiATiVE iS A fANTASTic OPPOrTUNiTy fOr ThE ciTy TO DEVELOP rEAL LOW-cArbON hOUSES ON A cOMMErciAL ScALE

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VIBE DEVELOPMENT UPDATE 45

Above: At least 25,000 new homes will be developed in the next 14 yearsLeft: Work has already started on Peterborough’s new hospitals

46 VIBE DEVELOPMENT UPDATE

stores started in september 2006 and is due for completion by late summer 2007.

the waterfront renewal of south bank requires major infrastructure improvements. these include a new junction on the a605 and another lane on the bridge across the nene, together with a separate pedestrian and cycle bridge between south bank and embankment. such changes to a busy district near the city centre will take some time, but royal haskoning, the bretton-based consultant engineer, has drawn up design plans for the bridges in 2006 and the council will decide on them later in 2007.

ThE brETTON cENTrEto the north west of the city, the suburb of bretton has undergone a £5 million renewal programme, by a partnership of Catalyst Capital, gresham Property and Deutsche uK

Property Ventures Fund, and the shopping centre sold on to Morley Fund Management. there are 18 new stores in the new centre, including one of the largest next fashion outlets in the country. boots and sainsbury’s are among the other multiples, but bretton is also attracting independent shops and catering (including an award-winning fish restaurant). the whole of the district will benefit from its new centre.

iNNOVATiON cENTrEa review by oP, the city council and eeDa identified an urgent need for an innovation centre to assist new and developing businesses in the city. the partners are studying a number of properties capable of housing an interim centre, and plan to announce the launch of this new facility by late summer 2007. ❑

ThE SUbUrb Of brETTON hAS UNDErgONE A £5 MiLLiON rENEWAL PrOgrAMME. ThE WhOLE Of ThE DiSTricT WiLL bENEfiT frOM iTS NEW cENTrE

Right: The South Bank will soon offer 500 high quality riverside residential units as well as shops, hotel, office space and a leisure focus around Mill Square

communiTy invesTmenT

Regeneration is not just about new buildings, nor just about newcomers to the city. It also has to improve life for current residents. To do just that, Peterborough Council and GPP are implementing an overarching Neighbourhood Investment Plan (NIP), to take an intelligent and planned approach to growing communities.

It has three main areas of focus:1 Really engaging with communities

about what they want to get from regeneration. Local community partners – residents, public and private sector representatives and elected members – decide what the area needs from investment, such as improved infrastructure. From these opinions will come a local community plan, to align services more effectively in a joined-up approach. Once it’s known what each community needs, the right sort of investment can be sought.

2 Co-ordinating the public sector effectively and efficiently, by getting the police, social services and utilities sharing resources to line up their strategies .

3 Using data more effectively. All those involved in Peterborough’s regeneration are constantly gathering information and data but don’t share it with anyone else. It needs to be used intelligently to influence decision-making. All data will be pooled across departments into a GIS mapping tool to show the state of various communities and where various investments are targeted.

The NIP, initially concentrating on six or seven pilot areas, is governed by the Greater Peterborough Partnership, for a truly overarching approach. The first meeting was due as VIBE went to press. In two or three years’ time, investment plans for all neighbourhoods will be prioritised, to close the gap between the best and worst neighbourhoods, and to ensure that all communities, not just new ones, will benefit from the city’s growth.

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For development advice please contact:

Lakis PavlouPartner020 7911 2153lakis.pavlou@gvagrimley.co.uk

Steve TaylorPartner020 7911 2178steve.taylor@gvagrimley.co.uk

04558_Retail Peterborough AD FIN1 1 18/7/07 09:28:07