Regular readers (thank you, mother) will know just how excited I am about plans to dramatically redevelop our city’s Station Quarter, and this excitement has escalated now that the project has taken a major step forward.
The scheme’s Full Business Case has been given the green light by government, meaning that, subject to Whitehall’s forthcoming Comprehensive Spending Review, £47.8 million in funding will be unlocked to begin construction on the first phase of works in autumn this year.
This truly is a game-changing moment for us, and the city as a whole, as this development will completely transform the station area for residents, businesses and visitors, particularly those who access the city in that way.
It will also create new jobs and contribute a significant amount of additional money into our local economy, as a result of more people choosing to visit the city and making it an even more attractive place to set up business.
The first phase of works, known as the ‘City Link’, will deliver a clearer, lighter and more welcoming pedestrian and cyclist route between the station and the city centre, replacing the current underpass with a direct, surface, link. People will automatically feel safer when walking to the city.
The plans also involve creating a double-sided station with a new western access off Thorpe Road that will have a multi-storey car park, enabling commuters and visitors to quickly access platforms from that side of the city.
A new station square will be delivered on the existing eastern side, creating a better arrival experience and a nicer area for people who are waiting. It will also unlock some defined plots for future development opportunities.
Projects of this scale come along once in a generation, and once again I would like to thank all involved for their hard work, particularly our project partners at the Combined Authority, LNER and Network Rail.
Continuing with the theme of exciting developments, a landmark facility focussed on teaching ‘green skills’ and powering growth in Peterborough has opened.
Inspire Education Group (IEG) officially unveiled its £13.5 million Centre for Green Technology (CGT) at Peterborough College last week. It was a pleasure to welcome Labour Peer, Baroness Taylor of Stevenage, to perform the grand opening.
With green technology jobs projected to reach over 440,000 by 2030 and employer demand for green skills having grown by 46% in the last year alone, the CGT has been designed to ensure learners, employers and the wider community can adapt to the demands of a low-carbon future.
The centre houses industry leading facilities that support training in electric vehicle infrastructure, solar PV systems, air source heat pumps, retrofit, and sustainable construction practices.
It’s been designed in close consultation with industry and supports full-time students, apprentices, and adult learners offering everything from entry-level trade qualifications to Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs) and ‘CPD’ for already qualified professionals. Apologies for the jargon but happy to explain, you only need to ask.
I’m looking forward to seeing the centre develop and the positive effects it will have on our local economy. Both this this project and the Station Quarter scheme, have come to fruition thanks to the unstinting support of Labour’s former Combined Authority Mayor Nik Johnson. Thank you, Nik. (He’s the other one that reads the column).
One of the biggest challenges we face as an administration is making savings whilst ensuring that we continue to provide services that our communities value.
When I became council leader last year, we inherited a difficult financial situation and have actively worked to make savings. I’ve always stressed that tough decisions will have to be taken, but sometimes these plans get lost in the execution.
One such example is the city’s Industrial Hub, which provides training opportunities and work experience for people with learning difficulties and autism. This week, we’ve confirmed that we’ve taken the original proposal to close the facility off the table and that it will remain open.
This change in approach is to the credit of Cabinet Member, Councillor Shabina Qayyum, who has taken the time to meet with and listen to people’s concerns many times in recent weeks. We are now moving forward in a more positive way by looking at how a new service can be developed, with the support and input of service users and their families.
I understand the distress this has caused those who have used the hub and their families and I regret that. We are now committed to working with them, council officers and City College.
Another big challenge we face as one of the country’s fastest growing cities, is continuing to ensure that there are enough school places for pupils.
So that’s why I’m delighted that the Duke of Bedford Primary School in Thorney, Stanground Academy, Marshfields and NeneGate Schools will all be expanded later this year, following council decisions to fund extensions.
We want every Peterborough child to attend a school within the city and these projects demonstrate the hard work and investment the council is making to achieve this aim.
Meanwhile, plans for a new school in Great Haddon are progressing at pace, with The Hampton Academies Trust recently appointed to operate a new primary school there. The 420-place primary school will serve new families moving to the area and construction is due to begin in late summer subject to planning permission being granted.
Finally, I would like to wish all those young people sitting their SATs exams this week the very best of luck along with the staff involved in their preparation and marking.