Questions have been raised over whether city councillor Wayne Fitzgerald properly declared his interests during a key planning committee meeting on the future of the East of England Showground at Peterborough. And concerns have been raised about Peterborough PCR FM, the radio station owned and run by Cllr Fitzgerald, which sent a glowing letter of support to the council backing the planning application and whether it breached Ofcom rules on impartiality.
At the meeting of the city council’s planning and environmental protection committee on 14 October 2024, Conservative councillor Wayne Fitzgerald, a former leader of the council, was asked to declare any relevant interests before applications relating to the redevelopment of the showground were discussed.
Cllr Fitzgerald told colleagues he had previously liaised with the applicant, Asset Earning Power Group (AEPG), in his capacity as council leader but stressed he had not endorsed the applications and would consider them with an open mind.
However, a letter submitted just a month earlier appears to contradict that position. On 6 September, PCR FM — a community radio station owned by Cllr Fitzgerald – sent a statement to the council’s chief planning officer strongly backing AEPG’s proposals.
The letter, signed by station director Kev Lawrence who is also the station’s breakfast show presenter and an occasional BBC local radio presenter and sent on PCR FM headed paper, described the redevelopment as an “exciting opportunity” for Peterborough; He urged councillors to approve the plans. The letter was included in the official reports presented to the committee.
The letter stated: “I write today to strongly express my support for the Asset Earning Power Group (AEPG) and their exciting plans for the redevelopment of the former showground”.
Although this letter of support was signed by Kev Lawrence, who described himself as ‘station director’, the letter was sent on company headed notepaper.
The letter made a political point too, observing “too many times across the region we observe house building schemes that are devoid of any real sense of community or social responsibility.
“We have a spectacular opportunity to get this scheme moving, and in doing so we would hope to inspire other decision makers and fund holders to join the regeneration challenge for Peterborough, take a leaf of out of the AEPG book, and engage in placemaking to create a real place that all could be proud to call home”.
PCR FM has also hosted a number of interviews with AEPG representatives in recent years, providing airtime to promote the group’s ambitions for the former showground site. Critics argue that these actions, taken together, could create the perception that the station — and by extension its owner — had already formed a clear view on the applications.
Cllr Fitzgerald’s support raises potential issues under the council’s members’ code of conduct, particularly the section on “fettering discretion in the planning process.” Some could question whether a broadcaster’s letter of support might be seen as lobbying.
CambsNews has referred the apparent conflict of interest to the council’s monitoring officer, with requests for a formal investigation and for clarification on whether the integrity of the decision-making process was affected.
Cllr Fitzgerald has previously maintained that while he had liaised with AEPG in his role as council leader, he had not formally endorsed their proposals as a councillor and remained open-minded during the committee’s deliberations.
The Showground redevelopment
The debate comes against the backdrop of one of Peterborough’s most significant development projects in recent years.
The East of England Showground, located on the city’s outskirts, has long been associated with agricultural shows, exhibitions, and large-scale public events. However, with traditional showground activities in decline, its owners — the East of England Agricultural Society — partnered with AEPG to bring forward proposals for a new chapter for the site.
Plans submitted to the council include thousands of new homes, community facilities, and leisure opportunities. AEPG has promoted the scheme as a chance to deliver high-quality housing alongside green space, health services, and cultural amenities, aiming to avoid what it calls the “soulless” developments seen elsewhere in the region.
Supporters argue the redevelopment could provide much-needed housing, investment, and jobs for the city, while also freeing up underused land. But the proposals have not been without controversy. Local residents have raised concerns about traffic pressures, loss of open space, and whether promised community facilities will materialise.
The project has already seen setbacks. One of the planning applications was initially withdrawn, before an appeal process was launched to have it reconsidered.
Critics point to Cllr Fitzgerald’s reported support for that appeal as another reason for greater scrutiny of his role.
In October 2024, councillors initially rejected AEPG’s plans for 650 homes on the former speedway track, citing concerns over overdevelopment and the loss of community facilities. However, within two days, Cllr Fitzgerald – alongside three other councillors – invoked council procedures to appeal the decision.
Their letter argued that the refusal lacked sufficient planning grounds, relied on outdated policy, and failed to consider the scheme’s wider benefits.
The case was referred to the council’s appeals and planning review committee, which met in early November and overturned the original refusal, granting outline permission for the 650 homes. This decision, combined with a previously approved plan for 850 homes, a hotel, care home, and leisure facilities, effectively gave AEPG the green light for the wholesale redevelopment of the showground.
Divided opinion
At the appeal meeting, AEPG’s chief executive, Ashley Butterfield, insisted the development would help address Peterborough’s housing shortage and bring “considerable social and wellbeing benefits.”
But opposition remained strong. Independent councillor Julie Stevenson said many residents felt “betrayed” by the reversal, while Mick Bratley of the Peterborough Speedway Consortium argued that existing policies should protect long-standing sporting facilities. He suggested the speedway track could be recommissioned within a month if planning protection were upheld.
What Happens Next
The monitoring officer has not yet confirmed whether a formal investigation will be opened into Cllr Fitzgerald’s declarations.
Any review would likely examine whether his involvement with PCR FM, and the station’s public support for AEPG’s proposals, should have been declared as a non-pecuniary interest during the planning meeting. It could also consider whether the decision on the applications should be referred for independent scrutiny.
Further complications for Peterborough FM could come from the industry regulator Ofcom. It offers clear guidance on impartiality and editorial independence
Under section five of Ofcom’s Broadcasting Code, community radio stations must maintain due impartiality in matters of political or industrial controversy and current public policy. If a politician owns a station, Ofcom would scrutinise its output to ensure it does not serve as a platform for the politician’s views or agenda.
Ownership by a politician could raise concerns about undue influence. To mitigate this, Ofcom says:
The station must demonstrate editorial independence, with clear separation between the politician’s ownership and the station’s programming decisions.
Programming must comply with impartiality rules, ensuring a range of significant views are represented.
Ofcom also requires governance structures to be in place to ensure editorial independence, preventing a politician from influencing content to promote their agenda.
Cllr Fitzgerald has been contacted for a response.
