Village shop near Peterborough to be rebuilt after being damaged by ram raiders

A village store in Ailsworth is set to be rebuilt with a two-bedroom flat above.

An application has been approved to demolish the existing village general store at 107 and 109 Peterborough Road and replace it with a newly built two-storey shop with a two-bedroom flat above and behind the shop.

It is known that the property was built prior to 1900 and has housed a newsagents since the 1960s, the only general store, off licence and news agents remaining in the village.

The application states, however, that unfortunately due to occurrences of ram raiding, the frontage has fallen into a state of disrepair.

The application has been approved, although a recent application has been re-submitted the attempt to increase the size of the living accommodation with the creation of a rear extension.

The gross internal area of the building would increase by 61.7 square metres from 189.3 square metres up to 251 square metres.

The application stated: “The first-floor flat would be extended over the rear of the building in order to provide enlarged living accommodation to the front/centre of the building.

“The two bedrooms and ancillary functions (i.e. bathrooms, wardrobe) would be relocated to the rear of the building for enhanced privacy/noise screening.

“Due care has been taken to ensure privacy is maintained for both the occupants of the site as well as the immediate neighbours. The proposed rooflights on the south-east elevation are positioned at such a height as to ensure that no direct views over the adjacent property are possible.

The application viewed on Peterborough City Council’s planning portal using reference 17/02123/FUL.