Planning consent clears way for new leisure hub at Ferry Meadows
Peterborough City Council planners have approved proposals to build a £6 million Lakeside Activity Centre at Ferry Meadows, a project aimed at expanding year-round indoor leisure and climbing facilities in the city. The centre, put forward by the Nene Park Trust, is designed to include 22 metres of climbing height, bouldering areas, space for roped climbing, a small café, toddler play provision and a gym.
The decision follows a revised application for a simpler, more cost-effective building than earlier schemes and comes after the council’s cabinet declined to award an additional £1,073,280 from the government-backed Towns Fund — a move that has left the trust seeking fresh sources of income to complete the project.
“We’re very pleased to have planning permission secured and will be exploring a range of different funding options over the coming months to make this long-awaited activity centre a reality.”
The comment came from Matthew Bradbury, chief executive of the Nene Park Trust. Trust representatives have confirmed they intend to proceed with the scheme in phases, building the primary indoor activity centre first and reserving a taller tower for a later stage if additional funding becomes available.
Funding gap and next steps
Securing planning permission removes a key obstacle, but the proposal is now at a financing crossroads. The trust has previously received £1.45 million from the Towns Fund, yet the removal of the proposed top-up means the project team must identify alternative capital sources — from grant funding, private sponsorship, community fundraising, or borrowing — before construction can start.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated project cost | £6,000,000 |
| Town Fund previously awarded | £1,450,000 |
| Town Fund top-up withdrawn | £1,073,280 |
The trust has said that, if funding can be secured, construction could begin in 2027. No detailed financing package or timetable beyond that target has been published while trustees explore options.
Local benefits and strategic fit
Proponents argue the facility would deliver a number of tangible benefits for Peterborough: new indoor sport and leisure provision capable of attracting families and school groups, diversification of attractions at Ferry Meadows, potential uplift to local hospitality and retail through increased visitor numbers, and opportunities for skills development and volunteering linked to the trust.
- Expanded all-weather leisure offering in a regional park setting.
- Potential to grow visitor footfall at Ferry Meadows throughout the year.
- Opportunities for local employment during construction and operation.
However, the Council’s withdrawal of additional Towns Fund support underlines wider tensions in how local authorities deploy limited central government regeneration sums. The Towns Fund was created to target investment at places seeking economic renewal; decisions about which schemes to prioritise are often influenced by affordability, deliverability and strategic fit with other projects.
For residents, the immediate consequence is clear: planning permission means the scheme is shovel-ready in planning terms, but delivery hinges on fundraising success. The trust’s commitment to commencing work in 2027 is conditional on identifying the missing capital and managing project costs to fit the revised, more modest design.
As the Nene Park Trust approaches potential funders, its proposal will be judged against other claims on public and private investment in the city — a reminder that even popular local projects must compete within a constrained funding environment. The coming months will show whether the project can bridge the shortfall and deliver a new leisure asset for Peterborough.
