Architects hope to reduce ‘blocky’ appearance of Eddington in second phase of University of Cambridge development

Architects hope to reduce the “blocky” appearance of Eddington and create a more interesting skyline as it develops.

And the number of parking spaces for each new home will be reduced as they have found a lack of demand in the first phase, meaning one underground car park has already been mothballed.

Architects and developers spoke to councillors to update them on plans for the second phase of the North West Cambridge development.

The University of Cambridge was originally given permission in 2013 to build up to 3,000 new homes on the site, with 50 per cent to be sold as market housing, and 50 per cent to be made available for university staff and students.

So far over 1,000 homes have been built of the 1,800 homes planned in the first phase of the Eddington development.

Since the time period has lapsed under the 2013 planning permission, a new planning application is being prepared and the latest public consultation concluded earlier this month.

Last year it was announced that the university now intends to build 5,700 homes in Eddington, doubling the total originally planned.

Matt Johnson, head of development for North West Cambridge at the University of Cambridge, said the need for housing is “stronger” now than in 2013, as “housing affordability in the city has got worse”.

At the pre-application briefing for Cambridge city and South Cambridgeshire district councillors last Wednesday (23 April), architect Darryl Chen said most of the buildings in the second phase would be between four and six-storeys in height, while those in the centre would rise to eight storeys - and he said there was an “acceptance” of this in the consultation.

Cllr Anna Bradnam was concerned the tallest buildings might be on the highest point of the site, which she described as “a little unfortunate”.

Mr Johnson said that was not necessarily the plan, but acknowledged they are “not deliberately being put in the lowest part of the site”.

He said: “There was a very lengthy design process that we engaged officers on where we looked at different options of how you deal with the long views, and how do you avoid this blocky scale of Eddington as it is perceived from the M11 now.

“The option in the illustrative scheme that we have come up with, that is supported by the proposed parameter plans, really addresses that best by creating that articulation, creating layers of height - starting relatively low on the western edge, which is where you would think you would put the height to block off the M11.

“But this system works better: starts off relatively low, goes up higher and then gets to a handful of taller buildings in the middle that create that articulation and interest on the skyline, all the while preserving key views to things like the Huntingdon Road trees for example, which you will still perceive above some of the taller buildings in the centre.”

Cllr Katie Porrer “welcomed” the varied heights as she felt Eddington appeared “blocky” at the moment.

Cllr Peter Fane said it would also be important for the developers to consider the roofscapes of the buildings when looking at the impact of the development.

Councillors also heard from Elliot Page, part of the transport planning for Eddington, who said in the first phase there was an average of 1.1 parking spaces planned per home, but that would drop to 0.43 per home in the second phase, based on evidence of car usage.

Cllr Dr Tumi Hawkins described this as “quite a reduction”.

But Mr Johnson said: “What we found in the first phase is that our principally post doctoral researchers that live in the university housing do not drive. They have no demand for cars.

“We have got two basement car parks built at great cost and great carbon in the first phase. One of them is mothballed because the demand does not exist from the current population of university workers.”

Cllr Katie Thornburrow asked if the university could consider using the mothballed basement to meet demand from the second phase, rather than creating more car parking.

The developers also plan shared gardens for community living, additional sports pitches and community growing plots, as well as facilities like running routes and BMX tracks. A health centre built in the first phase, will shortly be fitted out by the NHS with services expected to be provided on site within two years, subject to agreements.

An outline application for the second phase is expected later this year.