Peterborough MP annoyed by 'lack of progress' in growth pledge
Labour's Andrew Pakes said he'll continue working for more resources
The MP for Peterborough has said he will continue to campaign for "more resources" to help the region grow.
Labour's Andrew Pakes believes there's been a "lack of progress" on some growth projects in and around the city.
Ministers, senior local authority figures and industry experts in the East have been meeting to discuss how best to deliver sustainable economic growth in the years to come.
"It takes a long time to get infrastructure going," Mr Pakes - who chairs the East of England All Party Parliamentary Group - said.
"One of my big frustrations is the lack of progress we've seen on some of the projects Peterborough and the East needs.
"The forthcoming station regeneration quarter will be a new shop window onto the city, alongside Anglia Ruskin University Peterborough, but we've got to fight for more resources."
Plans submitted for Station Quarter
Plans for the Peterborough Station Quarter project have been formally submitted to the Government after a full business case was approved by the city council.
If approved by the Department for Transport, the city council would have £47.85 million available to them from Levelling Up funding secured in March 2023 to help deliver the £65m scheme.
The plans include a new western station entrance, a multi-storey car park and a station square.
Work on the project is due to begin this summer, subject to grant funding being approved.
"The station regeneration quarter is a great example of where the mayor, Network Rail and politicians have been working together so we get a new station, but opens up the city as something that'll bring more investment in future, Mr Pakes said.
"We know Cambridgeshire and Peterborough needs to grow and to deliver decent jobs and homes for all the people who live here, as well as improving our roads and public transport, but to do that we have to do it sustainably."
Labour 'putting money where our mouth is'
Earlier this year, Chancellor Rachel Reeves focused on the East in a speech on growth, giving her support for the Oxford to Cambridge growth corridor.
Mr Pakes praised the Government for its work in assuring growth for the region, such as through a Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which aims to help deliver on Labour's promise to build 1.5 million homes and decide on 150 major infrastructure projects by the 2029 general election.
"We've seen determination from the Government to get more money into building social and affordable housing across the region," he added.
"We're up for it, and now over the coming months, we're putting our money where our mouth is and bringing forward the legislation to unlock growth."