Plans submitted to bring Lynch Farm back to community use

We have now submitted plans to Peterborough City Council, to bring Lynch Farm back into community use.

The Lynch Farm site sits on the edge of Ferry Meadows and was home to the Lynch Farm Riding School for 50 years before the owners retired in September 2022.The site, has remained unused since then and comprises a Grade II listed farmhouse and numerous outbuildings. Nene Park Trust took back responsibility for the building and land in August 2023 and are now keen to develop it to offer a range of community uses and and have it ready to use by spring 2024.

Our plans include:

• an enclosed dog field to offer a safe walking and training space. The space would be available for private hire and allow nervous, reactive or dogs with poor recall time off-lead in a secure environment.
• space for community and paid events including artisan food fairs, a family Easter event, family theatre and hire for day-time events including weddings. Public parking would be provided at Ferry Meadows.
• using the site to provide more nature based education sessions - Nature Tots, Home Education groups and holiday clubs, run by our Education team. A maximum of four-half day sessions during term time, and Monday to Friday day sessions in school holidays are proposed.
• space for schools and uniformed groups to camp in a tent village, located on the north edge of the site, alongside the park boundary, away from the residential area. At least one of the bell tents will offer accessible camping.
• a 24-space car parking area.

We are also proposing to remove the temporary classroom/office building that is currently on site due to its state of disrepair and replace it with a temporary toilet block; providing 12 toilets and six urinals. Shower units would also be available 26 weeks a year to support the camping offer.

Matthew Bradbury, Chief Executive of Nene Park Trust, said “We first announced our plans for the former Riding School site back in November, and this proposal is the next step on our journey.

“Nene Park Trust is committed to providing facilities for recreation, education and culture, and our vision for Lynch Farm will enable us to benefit a wide range of people as well as restoring and maintaining an important historic group of buildings. We believe the different initiatives we have planned will have minimal impact on the local area and levels of activity will not be significantly different to when the riding school was operating.

"We are really excited that the more varied breadth of the offer will enable everyone to enjoy the site.

“As a charity, it is important that we maintain revenue streams to enable us to operate, and to pay for the maintenance and upkeep of the Park and our buildings. When the Trust took on the guardianship of Nene Park back in 1988, Lynch Farm was always included in the arrangement for income-generating purposes, and we think that these plans demonstrate a way of achieving this whilst increasing the benefits to the residents of Peterborough and the local area.”

The planning application can be viewed on Peterborough City Council’s planning portal. Search using reference 24/00248/FUL.