'Out of context' homes may be demolished for flats

The properties are between 75 and 79 New Road, close to the St Mary's roundabout

Three houses that look "starkly out of context" could be demolished and replaced by 23 flats, plans have revealed.

The detached homes between 75 and 79 New Road, Peterborough, had become a "visual anomaly" in the surrounding commercial area, it was said.

The comments were made in plans submitted to Peterborough City Council by a Mr Mahmood Khan, who sought to build the apartments and bicycle storage there.

Planning officers at the Labour-run authority have the final say in determining the application.

'Visual anomaly'

The area in and around New Road was a busy office district in the early 2000s, with a vibrant leisure scene due to its proximity to the city centre.

"After the financial crisis, the leisure and night-time uses became less popular, leaving a number of the buildings long-term unoccupied," the plans read.

Many of the remaining offices stopped being used during the Covid-19 pandemic and onwards, an agent acting on behalf of the applicant claimed.

They added: "The presence of these last remaining dwellings is now a visual anomaly and starkly out of context with the wider city core commercial area."

Blueprints submitted to the council also showed "landscaped areas" would be built if they were approved, as would bin storage.

The applicant concluded: "There would be no adverse impact on existing local residents and future residents would have a high standard of amenity."