6,500 homes at Waterbeach new town given green light

Plans for the Waterbeach new town, which will include up to 6,500 homes, have been agreed.

The scheme, which will also include cycle and public transport upgrades, swimming pool, four schools, parks and woodlands on the former Waterbeach barracks site, was given the green light by South Cambridgeshire District Council’s planning committee on Monday (May 13).

Urban&Civic’s outline plans would also provide at least 1,950 affordable homes while more than 40 per cent of the site covered by the application will be open space and recreation areas.

As part of the agreement, Urban&Civic will fund £141m of new facilities and transport upgrades, including improving junctions along the A10 and introducing traffic calming measures in neighbouring villages.

The council’s lead cabinet member for planning, Cllr Tumi Hawkins, said: “We know transport is one of the main concerns with any new development. That’s why we’re working extremely closely with Urban&Civic to agree a package of transport upgrades that not only include improvements to junctions on the A10, but also major improvements to local cycle and walking routes and bus services.

“We’re also continuing to work with the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority on larger-scale options to improve the A10.

“This proposal plays an important part in ensuring that the council can secure the delivery of the new homes and high-quality places to live and work that we know we need.”

Tim Leathes, development director for Urban&Civic, added: “Waterbeach Barracks is the best brownfield site in the country, located uniquely in an area with huge housing need.

“It has been a very intense five years of work pulling together with local communities and partners the right vision for the unique opportunity that the barracks presents economically, environmentally and socially, to create an exemplar sustainable community.”

Work will start over the summer, he added, and there are hopes to have the lake open to the public next year. Homes would be ready from 2022.

The Urban&Civic scheme is the first of two at Waterbeach - the second for up to 4,500 new homes, submitted by RLW Estates, in June last year, is still being assessed by the council.