Peterborough City Council’s Children’s and Young People Scrutiny Committee will hear of proposals to seek £410,000 worth of council funding to progress with designs for a new purpose-built £13 million Youth Zone for Peterborough.
At its meeting on Monday (13 July 2026) councillors will be asked to recommend that Cabinet approves the funding at its July meeting to enable national youth charity, OnSide Youth Zones Limited, to work with city council officers to progress detailed designs for a new dedicated youth to facility for young people.
The proposed Youth Zone would provide safe places to socialise, play sports, learn skills, get support, and take part in activities outside school hours.
OnSide Youth Zones Limited already has a national network of 15 Youth zone across the country and a further eight are currently being developed.
Councillor Numan Ali Iqbal, Cabinet Member for Growth and Regeneration, said: “The Youth Zone proposals are a very important part of the city’s growth ambitions to ensure our young people have a safe space to go where they can socialise, learn new skills, take part in sports and get support.
“OnSide has a proven track record of delivering these wonderful centres across the country, in partnership with local communities and I am very keen for this proposal to be progressed quickly to give our young people the first-class facilities they deserve to help them thrive.”
If approved by Cabinet this month, the council would commit up to £410,000 from reserves to further develop the Youth Zone design including entering into a grant agreement with OnSide to deliver RIBA stage 3 designs and to submit a planning application for the proposed Youth Zone. A potential site for the Youth Zone has been identified on the Embankment close to The Lido outdoor swimming pool.
Once built, the facility could offer over 20 different activities including a sports hall, boxing ring, dance studio, sensory room, arts and craft, fitness, performing arts and a wellbeing room.
The council proposes to apply for Better Youth Spaces funding towards the project. This is a fund being released in late 2026 and administered by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). A further report will be presented to Cabinet in late 2026 setting out a proposed legal relationship structure and providing a financial update for delivering a Youth Zone in Peterborough.