Village Post Office approved at former chapel site

Plans to transform a former village chapel into a community shop, Post Office and flat have been approved despite concerns over parking and road safety.

David Hartley Associates applied to Peterborough City Council to convert the former Ailsworth Methodist Church, near Peterborough, which included demolishing an existing flat-roofed extension to make way for a new one-bedroom property.

The chapel on Main Street was built in 1860 and hosted its final religious service in 2021, before being put up for sale.

Planning documents described the scheme as an opportunity to bring a prominent community building back into use.

"The proposal secures the long-term use and revitalisation of a valued community asset," the planning statement said.

"Public support for the proposal is positive, far outweighing any concerns around parking, which previously blighted an application for residential conversion at the site," it added.

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Ailsworth Parish Council acknowledged there was a need for a shop in the village, but it objected to the plans because of concerns about the impact on parking and highway safety.

In a letter submitted to Peterborough City Council, the parish council said: "Road safety concerns have been raised by the parish council to the Highways Department on a number of occasions over the years, with particular reference to dangerous parking on corners around Helpston Road, Maffitt Road and Main Street.

"The information provided in the application does not provide adequate mitigation for adding to these safety concerns," it added.

One resident, who lives on Helpston Road, raised a similar concern, saying: "There is already considerable congestion on Main Street.

"Parking can also be difficult in Helpston Road, especially near the bend at the Southern end. A shop operating from 07:00 to 20:00 BST would only serve to make this much worse."

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