Village centre has been 'left behind', council told

A city councillor says a village centre has been "left behind" compared to other sites elsewhere in the area.

Peterborough First city councillor, John Fox, who has represented Werrington ward for 23 years, opposed two recent proposals for the Werrington Centre which were ultimately refused by planners in April.

He said he hoped the next applicant would meet with community representatives so they could "help to steer them in the right direction".

"Most of the shops in the centre are run down, it's not what it used to be," he said.

A company named Gujjar Investments Ltd submitted two separate plans to Peterborough City Council for the Werrington Centre - one for a taxi office next to the vacant Ploughman pub and the other to turn the pub itself into a sports bars and three shops.

Both were rejected on the grounds of noise and traffic concerns.

Fox, deputy leader of the Independent group, said: "To me, none of it made sense and the taxi office would've caused little rat runs.

"I've been a councillor now for 23 years.. and if they just came and spoke to us and Werrington Neighbourhood Council we could've liaised with them and saved them time and effort.

"If you look at the centres in Orton and Bretton compared to Werrington, we were left behind."

The Ploughman pub closed in early 2024 and has since been sold and gutted.

Fox added: "You've got to protect what you've got and improve with what you haven't got."

Earlier this year, a former landlord of the pub, Andy Simmons, expressed serious concerns about the future of the Werrington Centre in the wake of the pub's closure.

Gujjar Investments Ltd has been approached for comment.

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