Activity centre needs £3.5m to bridge funding gap

Infrastructure improvements and further accessible parking spaces have been funded by the government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund

The charity that runs Peterborough's Ferry Meadows says it needs to bridge a £3.5m funding gap to deliver its Olympic-grade climbing wall and activity centre.

The Nene Park Trust hoped to start work on a Lakeside Activity Centre this year for it to be completed by summer 2026.

It aimed for the facility to become a National Centre of Excellence for climbing and para-climbing - as well as offering year-round play and fitness opportunities.

The trust said it had committed about half of the £14m construction costs from its reserves.

The new centre will be situated in Ferry Meadows, near Gunwade Lake

In a May prospectus, the trust said: "We seek financial support to help to bridge the remaining funding gap of £3.5m that will allow this ambitious, transformative project to proceed."

It added that the project could lead to an increase in regional participation in sport, physical activity and healthier lifestyles.

"The centre will also elevate Nene Park, making it a beacon for local residents and visitors alike, and enhance Peterborough's appeal as a vibrant city to live, study, work, and invest in," it said.

Despite hundreds of objections, plans for the facility were approved by Peterborough City Council in 2021.

The Nene Park Trust said it had used £2m of its own money to complete the first phase of the Lakeside Activity Centre.

This included building a new car park and improving the lake-side road, widening it in some places and improving drainage and surfacing.

Once complete the site is expected to be about 34m (110ft)-tall.