Sam Carling, Labour MP for North West Cambridgeshire, has written to Peterborough City Council’s Planning and Environmental Protection Committee urging them not to compromise on affordable housing and the need for proper infrastructure in any decision they make today about the proposed development at the East of England Showground.
His letter comes as councillors are set to reconsider their decision to grant planning permission for 1500 homes after the landowner – the East of England Agricultural Society – walked back on promises made to secure permission, around delivering 30% affordable housing and contributing millions of pounds to education, healthcare and leisure facilities in and around the development.
These payments, and the affordable housing requirement, are secured through a legal mechanism known as a Section 106 (S106) agreement. According to Planning Committee papers, the East of England Agricultural Society started to dispute the requirements in the draft agreement drawn up by the council after the committee decisions to grant planning permission, despite the other original development partner – AEPG – agreeing to these requirements.
Carling has previously spoken publicly about his determination to ensure new development in and around Peterborough benefits existing residents, through improvements to public services and the creation of new community facilities.
In his letter today, Sam Carling, Member of Parliament for North West Cambridgeshire, said:
“I am extremely disappointed that one of the applicants – the East of England Agricultural Society – is now pushing to reduce the proportion of affordable housing through amendments to the S106 agreement, and furthermore appears to be arguing for reduced payments more broadly to the infrastructure and facilities that the development will require.
I therefore urge the committee, in whatever decision you make today, to stand firmly by the requirements laid out for 30% affordable housing and sensible developer contributions to infrastructure – across healthcare, education and beyond. The Council must show resolve, and not give in when promises are walked back upon.”