Plans to create an exciting climbing and activity centre at Lakeside in Ferry Meadows are expected to be considered by Peterborough City Council’s planning committee shortly.  

This marks the culmination of four years of consultation, planning, research and development work to offer a year-round indoor activity provision to make the Park a more attractive prospect for families during the winter months.

The Centre is a key element of the charity’s 2050 vision and 10-year masterplan, which involved extensive consultation with the public about the future of Nene Park. In particular, these consultations identified a need for year-round indoor provision to make the Park a more attractive prospect for families during the winter months.

The plans for the centre include an Olympic-standard climbing facility as well as one of the country’s largest Clip ‘n Climb arenas suitable for all the family. The plans also include a natural-themed indoor toddler play area, an additional café and private hire spaces for community groups. It is also expected to create 31 new jobs.

  

This focus on indoor facilities will complement the many well established outdoor activities across the Park. Lakeside Activity Centre will be located next to and share a site with the existing Nene Outdoors watersports and activity centre, creating a defined hub of sport, play, recreation, and leisure in an easily accessible area, well away from the more sensitive nature-rich areas of the Park.

Discussion of the plans by the planning committee follows close work between the Trust and Peterborough City Council’s planning team to complete independent expert contributions on a number of items including Heritage and Ecology, including further information on bat activity and proposed lighting. As a result, it confirms the proposals will help to improve biodiversity and create better habitats for wildlife in the Park. The work has also identified ways that existing lighting at Lakeside can be more “bat-friendly”, which the Trust now intends to complete as part of this project. Flood risk, traffic and access considerations have also been fully addressed.

Matthew Bradbury, Chief Executive of Nene Park Trust, said, “We are very pleased to have reached this key stage in the development of our plans for Lakeside Activity Centre. As a socially-focused, environmental charity, we believe the centre will be a fantastic new addition for Nene Park, delivering new recreational and fitness opportunities to the people of Peterborough in a manner that is in harmony with our commitment to the preservation of nature and wildlife within the park.

“We are hopeful that, when a date has been set, the planning committee will recognise the benefits of the proposal to Peterborough and give us the green light to bring the project to fruition”.

Clive Osborne, former joint owner of Peterborough Climbing Wall, added his support to the plans. He said: “The climbing centre will provide a much-needed venue for this practice and competition in Peterborough and further afield, especially since our 67-year-old Peterborough Climbing Wall club recently lost its indoor climbing facility.

“At the time of our closure, we had thousands of registered climbers and over 200 members. Sadly, those members now have nowhere local to climb since the nearest sizeable climbing walls are well over 45 miles away in Cambridge, Milton Keynes and Leicester.

“We are so fortunate to have an organisation like Nene Park Trust that is willing to invest in something like this for the people in Peterborough of all ages, classes and abilities - this is an opportunity not to be missed and is the perfect fit for Ferry Meadows.”  

For more information about the plans please visit www.nenepark.org.uk/lakeside-activity-centre