Vacant Cambridgeshire pub could be used for religious education

A former Cambridgeshire pub could be used for religious education and retail. A planning application for change of use of The Cavendish was submitted to Peterborough City Council by M A Iqbal Architecture.

A design and access statement submitted with the planning application said the premises is currently vacant. A previous planning application to build extensions and change the use of the building from a public house to religious education was granted in March.

However, this is no longer seen as a 'viable option' by the applicant due to a "lack of interest in getting the place fully occupied for religious education". The new application said: "Therefore, applicant wishes to only retain part of the ground floor as religious education facility. The other part to be used as class E retail and the first floor as residential as previously used."

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The applicant wishes to use the facility for religious education classes with a maximum of 20 students and two teachers or staff for classes between 1pm and 8pm from Monday to Friday. If approved, there would be a maximum of 30 students and two teachers or staff on Saturdays and Sundays between 7pm and 9pm.

The design and access statement said: "The existing vacant public house layout will be simplified with one part of the ground floor area to be used for teaching facility and the other for class E retail use. The first floor will be [retained] as a 3 bedroom flat."

You can view the planning application on the Peterborough City Council portal using the reference 24/01369/FUL here.