Peterborough is set to benefit from a landmark £40 million investment to support neighbourhood regeneration, following a concerted campaign by the city’s MPs, Andrew Pakes and Sam Carling. The funding, part of the Government’s ambitious Plan for Neighbourhoods and wider Pride in Place programme, aims to rejuvenate estates, community facilities, and local services across the city.
The initiative will see £2 million a year for ten years directed to two priority areas in Peterborough. In the Peterborough constituency, Paston, Gunthorpe, and Welland will receive significant support, while Orton Malborne and Goldhay in North West Cambridgeshire will also benefit.
The two projects are worth £20 million each, with local steering groups established to ensure residents have a direct say in how the funding is spent.
The money can be used for both capital projects, such as upgrading community facilities, and revenue projects, including youth services, educational programmes, and health initiatives.
Andrew Pakes MP highlighted the importance of the investment, saying, “Peterborough’s potential has been ignored for too long. I am proud to have fought for, and secured, this investment for our city.
“This will be a significant boost for Peterborough, focusing on safer streets, improved community facilities, and new opportunities for young people and families. I want to hear from local people, charities, and businesses how we can use this to improve Paston, Gunthorpe, and Welland. These ideas will feed into the new neighbourhood steering group we are setting up to give residents a say over how this money can improve the city.”
Similarly, Sam Carling MP emphasised the long-term impact of the funding on local communities: “This funding is a huge opportunity for Orton – giving our community the long-term support it needs to improve services, create more opportunities for young people, and invest in facilities that will make a real difference to daily life.
“What matters now is working together to put residents’ voices at the centre so the money is spent in ways that make a real and lasting difference.”
The £40 million allocation for Peterborough complements the Government’s wider £5 billion Pride in Place programme, designed to empower communities nationwide to lead their own renewal. The programme targets 339 neighbourhoods, providing £2 million annually for ten years in 169 areas, while immediate capital funding is also allocated to improve parks, high streets, and public spaces.
As part of this strategy, Fenland will receive investment from the Pride in Place Impact Fund, with £1.5 million earmarked to enhance local public spaces, parks, and community facilities. This ensures that renewal extends beyond Peterborough, giving neighbouring communities the power to prioritise improvements that matter most to them.
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Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the programme as “a huge investment, but what matters most is who decides how it’s spent: the neighbours, volunteers, and parents who know their communities best – the people with real skin in the game. We’re choosing renewal over decline, unity over division. This is our Plan for Change in action – giving power and pride back to the people who make Britain great.”
The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Steve Reed, added, “Building pride in place starts with people, not politics. Local people know what they want to see in their neighbourhoods – and they don’t need government to dictate it. This plan will spark a historic grassroots movement that will restore local people’s power, boost national pride, and help people get on in life.”
For Peterborough and Fenland, this funding marks a new era of community-led regeneration. Residents will now have the opportunity to shape their areas, from improved facilities and youth services to safer streets and revitalised public spaces, ensuring that investments meet the real needs of those who live there. With MPs actively supporting the process, the city and surrounding communities are poised to benefit from lasting, meaningful change.
Peterborough City Council leader Cllr Shabina Qayyum, said: “We are thrilled with today’s announcement that £40 million is on its way to Peterborough to spend directly on our communities where the need is greatest. This is yet another sign that government is listening to our calls for increased investment in local government after years of underfunding.
“This is possibly the biggest ever investment in our neighbourhoods and will allow us to regenerate the places where people live and spend time.
“In the past decade our neighbourhoods have been stretched, yet despite this our communities continue to work hard to make their neighbourhoods better. By putting power into the hands of our residents, the government is enabling local people to decide how best to restore pride in the area they live – ensuring decisions are made where it matters most.
“We’re excited to keep working closely with the government, local groups, and our residents to help Peterborough grow and improve. Together, we want every community to do well and make sure our city is the best it can be.”
