Race against time to save showground: Bid to build £50m mini-village

Peterborough residents are in a race against time to save the East of England Showground as developers seek to turn it into a new housing estate and build up to 1,500 homes.

The site is at the heart of a major planning row for a £50 million development to construct the dwellings, as well as a care village, a 250-bed hotel and two primary schools.

Locals are furious about the plans after the showground closed its doors last year, arguing it would destroy important parts of the city's heritage and cause a massive drop in visitors.

Until recently, the site held frequent events which drew visitors from across the UK, such as agricultural shows, Truckfest and Speedway races.

Peterborough's Planning Committee is due to rule on the plans, which have received 904 objections, on October 15. 

The local British Speedway team, Peterborough Panthers, raced at the track from 1970 to October 2023, and currently has no home.

Developer Ashley Butterfield, 49, has submitted two separate applications for a 650-home development and a 850-home development on behalf of his company, Asset Earning Power Group (AEPG). 

As well as angering sports fans and residents, with 904 objections logged online, the two applications have also seen concerns raised by Sport England, the British Horse Society and the Peterborough Civic Society. 

But both applications have now been recommended for approval when they go before council bosses next week - with AEPG told they must make contributions worth more than £7 million to the local area, including secondary education and GP practices. 

The East of England Showground has been home to events attracting hundreds of thousands of people for decades. 

Almost all of the existing buildings and green space on the site would be demolished in order to make way for the development.

But locals are up in arms about the plans, calling for 'Peterborough's Stonehenge' to be saved from development. 

The 850-house proposal would see the construction of 595 private homes and 255 affordable or social homes.

Mr Butterfield told MailOnline the plans are in-keeping with the housing need in the area, and that 30 percent off the 1,500 residences will be social housing.

The larger application has received more than 1,700 documents since it was first put forward in July 2023 - the vast majority of which are public comments. 

One resident said: 'Peterborough is becoming nothing but characterless identical new housing estates with no places available for people to do things, or have events held, or just not be surrounded by hundreds and hundreds of new houses that have no character or interest about them. 

'Just poor quality brick boxes. Peterborough and the east of England needs places for events to happen for the wellbeing of its population and to attract business into the area. 

'Otherwise why would anyone visit a city that is just one massive housing estate with what will become neglected and unused sports facilities.'

Another, who has lived in neighbouring Wisbech for 54 years and attended the showground regularly, added: 'The Showground is not some unmarked random field like any other parcel of land, but part of our Fenland Heritage that runs deep within us. 

'Every time we have visited the Showground it has felt like visiting a loved family member and losing it feels like part of our local culture is being stolen from us. 

'While It may not be as visually stunning as Stonehenge or even have the scientific importance of Flag Fen I would strongly argue that it has just as much historical importance to the people living today. 

'The arena is our modern day 'Circus Fenlanders' and should not be ripped from the heart of local people.'

And a Speedway fan said approval of the plans would mark a 'very sad day for Peterborough'.

They said: 'I wholeheartedly object to this application. An amazing part of Peterborough is being completely disregarded in this. 

'The speedway club brings in revenue for the whole area, and enjoyment for all age groups, my grandson is five now, but has been a fan since he was 4. 

'Greedy developers try and ride roughshod over any previous refusal, and in this case ignore the fact that the speedway is viable, and a major part of Peterborough history, as the team has been incredibly successful on many occasions.'

Hundreds of other objections raised similar concerns about the destruction of existing facilities, as well as increased traffic levels, overstretched schools and health services and potential damage to the local environment.

Meanwhile Sport England also raised concerns over the lack of a speedway track, with the sport first being introduced in the UK in 1928.

The body said: 'We are concerned about the loss of the speedway track and associated facilities... we do not support this element of the application.'

It added: 'The applicant has not addressed the loss of the existing sports facility in their supporting information. As such, there would seem to be insufficient information provided to assess the loss of the existing sports facility in accordance with the relevant policies.' 

A petition to preserve speedway in Peterborough has garnered more than 1,000 signatures. 

The plans would see the development of some sports facilities, including several football pitches. 

Mr Butterfield told MailOnline the Peterborough Panthers were given four years notice to vacate the site, and that their owner 'publicly thanked' AEPG for the lengthy notice period.

He added he has received no further correspondence from the team owner since the venue closed. 

The British Horse Society also objected to the change of use for the showground, arguing the development was 'flawed from the outset'. 

It said that without including racing, the equestrian industry contributes £100 million to Cambridgeshire's rural economy each year.

The organisation said: 'At no point in the documents submitted is there anywhere provision for inclusion of horse riding or equestrian users... This is ironic considering the heritage and previous uses of this particular agricultural site.' 

And the Peterborough Civic Society, which is more than 70 years old, raised concerns about education, healthcare and traffic issues. 

Mr Butterfield is currently the director of six different companies, according to Companies House.