Approval granted for Westbrook Centre in Cambridge to be redeveloped into life science campus

The Westbrook Centre in Cambridge is to be demolished to make way for a new life science campus.

Cambridge city councillors approved the developers’ plans to “reinvigorate an underused site”, which could become home to around 1,000 jobs.

Some neighbours had raised concerns about the plans, including the height of the new buildings.

And there was debate over pedestrian access routes to neighbouring streets, with councillors ultimately deciding they should be created, although further details will need to be provided and approved for these.

The plans to demolish and redevelop the four existing office blocks in Westbrook Drive, off Milton Road, were put forward by Forge bio no.4 GP, a life science arm of Reef Group, working in collaboration with UBS Asset Management.

The old office blocks will be replaced with three new life science buildings, a cafe, four ‘character gardens’, including a play area with design input from Milton Road Primary School, active leisure space and outdoor working areas.

A representative of the developer told a planning committee on Wednesday (24 July) that there would be “significant benefits”.

Tim Price, director of planning at Savills, the agent for the developer, said the plans would “reinvigorate an underused employment site, optimising brownfield land to create a new sustainable campus that delivers new employment opportunities, and new community facilities and benefits”.

Mr Price said the new life science campus would use less water and that workers would be encouraged to use sustainable modes of transport, with the number of car parking spaces due to be reduced by 95 to 192, including 88 electric vehicle spaces. The number of cycle parking spaces is set to rise by 814.

It is forecast that through rainwater harvesting, enabling an autonomously irrigated landscape, the site will use 39 per cent less water than it does currently.

The developer’s plans for the amenity areas include a ‘steppe garden’ featuring biodiverse mosaic planting, a games garden with sports and play equipment provided, a meadow rain garden with extensive planting and outdoor workspaces.

There were 54 objections lodged.

Dr Hannah Crickshaw, who lives nearby, told councillors she “strongly objected” to the new development, branding the height and massing of the proposed life science buildings “unacceptable”.

She shared fears about facing “significant disruption” from construction for many years.

There have been mixed views on whether three new cut-through links for pedestrians and cyclists should be created from the development site to surrounding streets.

Planning officers explained that the original application put forward by the developer did not include the links. But the officers believed they should be created and proposed that a requirement was added to the planning permission so that links to Corona Road and Lilywhite Drive were created.

A cut-through route to Gilbert Road was also suggested, but officers said this link required the use of third party land - understood to be Fellows House aparthotel - to put in place.

Officers said they did not have the owner’s approval yet, but suggested discussions should continue to explore it.

Some neighbours to the Westbrook Centre strongly supported the inclusion of these routes.

Nick Flynn, who lives in Lilywhite Drive, has led the Better Walking for West Chesterton campaign, collecting 400 signatures in favour of them.

He told the committee that the links would “enable more direct and safer walking and cycling routes”.

But some disagreed. Erin, from Corona Road, had safety concerns about the routes and questioned the level of support for them, saying she had not found many who wanted them.

Mr Price said the developer recognised there were divided opinions on the cut-through links and it was a decision for councillors.

A highways officer highlighted that details of the new access links would need to be submitted and approved, but at this stage was “content that there are no safety issues”.

Cllr Katie Thornburrow said: “The Local Plan has allowed for those local connections and I think that if we were not to accept these local connections, we would be assigning this site in the future to be isolated if the application is approved.”

The committee agreed that the links should be pursued, with further permission required for each.

Cllr Nadya Lokhmotova said there were many parts of the development that she liked, including the new cafe, the increased soft landscaping and the increased amount of cycle parking.

But she “did not particularly like that it is a new building” and felt retrofit opportunities should have been explored more.

Officers said the arrangement of the existing office buildings made them difficult to retrofit, but highlighted that the existing undercroft was being incorporated into the new development.

Councillors voted unanimously to approve the plans.

After the meeting, Mr Flynn said: “We’re delighted that the council has secured agreement from the developer to provide the three walking and cycling routes to neighbouring roads identified in the Cambridge Local Plan. These connections will make it easier and safer for residents to walk around their local area.

“We will be continuing to apply pressure on the Fellows House aparthotel and the city council to ensure that the link to Gilbert Road is delivered. Together with the approved link to Corona Road, a link to Gilbert Road would create a new safer walking and cycling route between Victoria Road and Gilbert Road, reducing journey times and increasing safety for vulnerable road users.”