Peterborough pub demolished to make way for housing

Demolition work has now started at the 99-year-old pub

A 99-year-old pub in Peterborough is being knocked down to make way for new housing.

The Elm Tree Tavern in Garton End Road, Dogsthorpe, closed in December after its former owners deemed it unviable.

The site was subsequently bought by Janish Homes Ltd for development purposes.

Planning permission was granted by Peterborough City Council in January to turn the site into seven houses, each with three bedrooms.

Conservative councillor Arfan Khan said despite "mixed feelings" from residents about the pub's demolition there was a "need for housing".

In recent years the area has seen a number of other pubs close including The Cherry Tree, Dog In A Doublet and the Wortley Almshouses.

Councillors and residents have "mixed feelings" about the demolition

Julie Stevenson, an Independent councillor, said she was concerned that a lack of facilities in the community could lead to anti-social behaviour.

She said: "If you don't give people places to go, just to be and hang out, they start hanging out elsewhere and that's when you start to get anti-social behaviour, which is terrible at the moment."

However Christian Hogg, Liberal Democrat councillor for Fletton and Stanground, said the development had "everything to merit it and nothing to go against it".