Schools, shops, play areas and woodland planned for Cambourne West
New shops, schools, woodland, play areas and a business park are planned for the Cambourne West development, where construction work is expected to begin next year.
Outline planning permission for up to 2,350 homes was granted by South Cambridgeshire District Council in January 2017 and plans for the first phase are now progressing.
Taylor Wimpey and Bovis Homes –working together as the Cambourne West Consortium – is preparing its detailed application after assessing feedback from a consultation period and public exhibition in Cambourne last month.
A spokesperson for the Cambourne West Consortium told the Cambridge Independent: “Our consultation event on Tuesday, January 15 was well attended, with more than 130 people coming along to view and comment on our proposals for the first phase of the Cambourne West development for 969 homes.
“We had some very useful discussions with local residents, councillors and other key stakeholders and we will now look carefully at the comments we have received to make sure people’s views are taken into account as we finalise our reserved matters planning application.”
The development site sits on land around Cambourne Village College, and would be developed in three phases, from east to west. Three new neighbourhoods are envisaged, called Sheepfold, Swansley Park and Woodfield.
The first phase would develop 969 homes, including all 429 in Sheepfold and 540 of those in Swansley Park, along with a new primary school. New roads, two play areas, a local centre with shops and a small business/employment area would also be created, and new woodland and meadows are promised.
A central green spine and corridor is promised, with cycle and pedestrian links to Cambourne, landscape spaces and wetlands.
Future phases will add the remaining homes in Swansley Park and Woodfield, while adding a further primary school and secondary school site alongside Cambourne Village College.
“The Cambourne West Consortium is in contact with Cambridgeshire County Council regarding proposals for extending Cambourne Village College,” the spokesperson said. “The Cambourne West Consortium will provide a serviced site for the school which will be subject to a future reserved matters planning application through South Cambridgeshire District Council.”
The majority of homes will feature two to five bedrooms, and will include flats, terraced, semi-detached and detached properties, while 30 per cent affordable housing will be provided, featuring one to four bedrooms.
Six more play areas will be created in phases two and three, with half of them aimed at older children, and a BMX track is envisaged.
More retail outlets, another employment area, allotments, a green, an orchard and further woodland would also be created in the later phases.
Images showing a Waitrose and Costa Coffee were “indicative”, said the spokesperson, rather than a confirmation of any deal.
A section 106 agreement means the developers will need to pay for sports facilities in Cambourne as later phases progress. This, it is hoped, will finally bring Cambourne its long-awaited swimming pool, along with an athletics track.
The consortium says it intends to “create a thriving, vibrant and sustainable community, where people will enjoy living”.
The main vehicle access to the development will be from Sheepfold Lane, and a modified roundabout will replace the existing northern junction of the A1198 Caxton bypass.
To encourage public transport use, a new bus-only link will connect Sterling Way in Upper Cambourne with Broadway, significantly reducing the distance travelled by local bus services, which currently enter and leave via Cambourne Road. Services such as the Stagecoach Citi 4 route will extend from School Lane to the new roundabout on the A1198 and into Cambourne West.
Meanwhile, an off-road cycle route along St Neots Road, between Cambourne Road and Broadway, and a new shared-use footway and cycle track along Back Lane will be created.
The reserved matters planning application is expected to be submitted in April, with a decision due in the summer. If approved, work could start on site in early to mid-2020.
The three phases of Cambourne West development
Phase 1
All homes in the Sheepfold neighbourhood, totalling 429 properties, along with a local centre and a small business/employment area.
540 homes in the Swansley Park neighbourhood, along with a new primary school.
Entrances to Cambourne West at Sheepfold Lane and Ermine Street.
A central green spine and corridor, and cycle/ pedestrian links to Cambourne.
9.53 hectares of new woodland and meadows, along with Swansley Green and Lake.
Two new play areas for young children.
Phase 2
The remaining 378 homes that will make up the Swansley Park neighbourhood.
397 homes in the Woodfield neighbourhood, along with a new primary school.
A new secondary school in the Sheepfold neighbourhood, along with a green and sports hub.
New footpaths and cyclepaths.
Two new play areas for young children and three new play areas for older children, plus a BMX track.
Allotments and 1.47 hectares of new woodland.
Retail outlets.
Phase 3
The remaining 606 homes that will make up the Woodfield neighbourhood, along with an employment area.
16.88 hectares of new woodland, along with a West Green and orchard.
One new play area for younger children.
