Phase two of South Cambridge Science Centre near Sawston approved
The second phase of plans to build a new science campus on the outskirts of Sawston has been approved.
South Cambridgeshire district councillors agreed to the proposals for a three-storey research and development building in Dales Manor Business Park.
The existing concrete batching plant in Grove Road will be demolished.
The plans form part of South Cambridge Science Centre, with plans for the first phase approved by the district council last year.
At a planning committee meeting last Wednesday (9 October) Maddie Wild, a representative of the developer Abstract Securities, said the proposals would create an “exemplar facility”.
She said: “The scheme will grow the South Cambridge Science Centre into a first rate research and development campus and contribute to the Cambridge science cluster.”
The new building will use 74 per cent less water than the existing concrete batching plant.
Ms Wild said the development will take a “sustainable transport approach”, with 133 more cycle parking spaces planned, in addition to the 285 spaces proposed in the first phase.
A shuttle bus service is proposed, as well as money to fund improvement work to the pavement along Babraham Road.
Cllr Anna Bradnam (Lib Dem, Milton and Waterbeach) said the new science campus was “already developing well” and that the proposed new building would be an “improvement” on the concrete batching site.
Cllr Peter Fane (Lib Dem, Shelford) recognised the impact on the landscape was “quite significant”, but said the building being considered would be an “improvement”, and found “overwhelming” reasons to support the development.
Cllr Dr Tumi Hawkins (Lib Dem, Caldecote) raised concerns about the surface water drainage from the site during and after construction, as she said there had been problems at other developments.
Officers said a condition was proposed requiring the developer to submit its plans for dealing with this.
Cllr Hawkins added that it was important that what was built followed the design, as she said this did not always happen.
The development was unanimously approved.
