Perception Peterborough

A bright 21st century vision for Peterborough

Peterborough's development as an internationally renowned city is being explored as part of an ongoing project bringing together leading artists, planners, environmentalists, political theorists, strategists and other key stakeholders.

The project, Perception Peterborough, aims to create new opportunities and provide a focused impetus for the growth and development of the city in the 21^st century. 

The first phase was a series of four workshops during September 2008, which examined how topics such as social cohesion, environmental sustainability and the built environment can contribute to the city’s reputation and its opportunities for future development. 

One workshop supported Peterborough’s aim to become the UK’s environment capital by developing new green technologies and educating its citizens from an early stage.

Another group focused on how Peterborough’s underused public spaces, such a s the river embankment and pathways, can be enhanced to improve the built environment. 

Participants also explored the interactions of the city’s various populations and the positive impact of demographic change.

The education workshop emphasised the importance of integrating the new university centre into the life of the city, ensuring it provides new opportunities for local people as well as bringing new talent to the area.  It also supported moves for the university to promote environmental research, sustainability, finance and community needs to attract businesses and create new jobs in the city.

Delegates included senior decision makers from local and regional regeneration bodies.  They were stimulated and challenged by international artists and creative thinkers who could cast a different perspective on some long standing debates.  Patama Roonrakwit, an architect from Thailand, found parallels between Peterborough’s development and urban development issues in Bangkok.  Dutch sculptor Ruud Kuijer brought a completely fresh perspective to thinking about the built environment.

Each delegate had a different perspective on the challenges facing our city and the way we could address them. All acknowledged that expertise, vision and commitment already exist in Peterborough but that the challenge is to channel them appropriately.

The workshop findings were presented at an international conference in the city on 22 October.  Keynote speakers at the conference included internationally renowned political and cultural adviser Benjamin Barber, and United Nations environmental advisor Jan Gustav Strandenaes, who outlined his recommendation for Peterborough to attend the United Nations World Urban Forum to present its work as an example of best practice.

Perception Peterborough was initiated and supported by Arts Council England East, in partnership with the East of England Development Agency, Peterborough City Council, Opportunity Peterborough, English Heritage, Sport England, Museums, Libraries and Archives, and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

For Peterborough, it has brought clarity to existing plans and generated a groundswell of exciting new ideas.   Outcomes from the Perception Peterborough process will help the city council and its partners develop future growth strategies. 

As Peterborough City Council chief executive Gillian Beasley said: “It validated our thinking on the city’s existing strengths and identified new opportunities that we can exploit as we pursue our objective to grow the right way for a bigger, better Peterborough.”

Documents

Art forms

• Non-art form

Themes

• Economic development

Interventions

• New ways of working with LAs