Peterborough

**Peterborough** ( or ) is a cathedral city in the East of England. The population is about 184,500 as of mid–2011. The city is well known for its cathedral.

Even though it is part of Northamptonshire, for ceremonial purposes it is inside the county of Cambridgeshire. The city is  north of London. It is on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea, about  to the north-east.

The railway station is an important stop on the East Coast Main Line between London and Edinburgh. The local government area includes Northamptonshire and Rutland to the west, Lincolnshire to the north, and non-metropolitan Cambridgeshire to the south and east.

The topography of the land is flat. In some places it is below sea level, for example in the Fens that are east of Peterborough.

Human settlement began before the Bronze Age, as seen at the Flag Fen archaeological site to the east.  There is also evidence of Roman occupation. In the Anglo-Saxon English period of time, a monastery, Medeshamstede was built. This later became Peterborough Cathedral.

The population grew fast after rail transport began in the 19th century. At that time, Peterborough became known for the manufacturing of bricks.

## Population growth

After World War II, the city did not grow much, until the 1960s. Peterborough was named a "New Town" in 1967, by the government. This was part of the New Towns Act of 1946. It planned new towns to move people into better homes, who were still living in poor or bombed-out housing from the war.

Housing and population are still growing in the 21st century.  Peterborough's population growth was the fastest of any British city over the ten years from 2002. This was partly due to immigration.

Because the city is still getting larger,  the city council has passed a law for a new development plan. This is to add an additional 22,000 homes, 18,000 jobs and over 40,000 people who will live in Peterborough by 2020. The newly developing Hampton township will be finished. There will also be a 1,500-homes built in Stanground, and a 1,200-homes built in Paston.

### Parnwell

Parnwell is a housing estate in the east of the city. Situated off Parnwell Way, it is easily accessible using the Frank Perkins Way (A1139). It is served by a convenience store at the Parnwell Centre and has a Sure Start Centre and a health centre.

The local primary school is Parnwell Primary School, which was opened in 1989 to serve children from 4 to 11 years. Children over this age may choose to attend the City of Peterborough Academy (COPA), Thomas Deacon Academy or the Stanground Academy.

## Infobox (settlement)

- **name**: Peterborough
- **settlement type**: City status in the United Kingdom, City and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority
- **image skyline**: Peterborough Cathedral (1).jpg
- **image caption**: Peterborough Cathedral
- **blank emblem type**: Coat of arms of Peterborough City Council
- **blank emblem size**: 150px
- **blank emblem alt**: Blue shield with two gold keys crossing each other at right angles, within a silver crown. Above the shield is a larger gold crown. Either side of the shield, facing each other and in mirror image, are white winged creatures similar to cats, with three black stars on each of the outward facing wings. They each stand on a branch of a tree and have one paw resting on the shield. Underneath is the motto "UPON THIS ROCK".
- **motto**: "Upon this rock I will build my church" (Upon this rock)
- **image map**: Peterborough UK locator map.svg
- **mapsize**: 200px
- **map caption**: Peterborough Unitary Authority Area shown within Cambridgeshire
- **subdivision type**: Sovereign state
- **subdivision name**: United Kingdom
- **subdivision name1**: England
- **subdivision type2**: Regions of England, Region
- **subdivision name2**: East of England
- **subdivision name3**: Cambridgeshire
- **subdivision type4**: Admin HQ
- **subdivision name4**: Peterborough
- **established title**: City status
- **established date**: 1541
- **established title2**: Incorporated
- **established date2**: 1874
- **established title3**: Unitary
- **established date3**: 1998
- **government type**: Non-metropolitan district
- **leader title**: Governing body
- **leader name**: Peterborough City Council
- **leader title1**: Leadership
- **leader name1**: Local government in England, Leader and Cabinet
- **leader title2**: Executive
- **leader name2**: Conservative Party (UK), Conservative
- **leader title3**: MPs elected in the UK general election, 2015, MPs
- **leader name3**: Stewart Jackson (Con)
 Shailesh Vara (Con)
- **area total km2**: 343.38
- **population blank1 title**: Ethnicity
- **population blank1**: 82.5% White
11.7% Asian
2.3% Black
0.8% Other
2.8% Mixed
- **timezone1**: Greenwich Mean Time, GMT
- **utc offset1**: ±0
- **timezone1 dst**: British Summer Time, BST
- **utc offset1 dst**: +1
- **postal code type**: List of postcode areas in the United Kingdom, Postcode area
- **postal code**: PE postcode area, PE
- **area code**: 01733
- **blank name**: ISO 3166-2:GB, ISO 3166-2
- **blank info**: GB-PTE
- **blank1 name**: ONS coding system, ONS code
- **blank1 info**: 00JA (ONS)
E06000031 (GSS)
- **blank2 name**: British national grid reference system, OS grid reference
- **blank3 name**: Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics, NUTS 3
- **blank3 info**: UKH11
- **website**: [http://www.peterborough.gov.uk/ www.peterborough.gov.uk]