‘No neighbourhood like it in the world’ says architect of 5,600-home Hartree development in Cambridge

A neighbourhood unlike any other in the world will be created in the north east of Cambridge, according to one of the architects working on the 5,600-home Hartree development.

Based on the principle of offering all you need for daily life within five minutes, and with cars ‘designed out’, the new community is proposed for land currently utilised by Anglian Water’s waste water treatment plant, providing permission is granted to move that into the countryside.

The master developers, LandsecU+I and TOWN, gave councillors an update on their plans last week and revealed they hope to submit an outline application in the new year.

Mike Bodkin, head planner at TOWN, said Hartree will “set a new standard” in the city.

Of the 5,600 homes proposed, 90 per cent will be flats and 10 per cent houses, with 40 per cent of all homes made available as affordable housing.

Two primary schools, one library, one health hub, a sports hall and two flexible community/culture facilities are proposed, jobs will be created with 6,550 sq m of retail space, 1,800 sq m of food and beverage commercial space, 87,100 sq m of research and development space, and 8,300 sq m of workshop/studio ground floor space.

One of the architects told councillors from Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council that at the “heart” of the development was “sustainability and quality of life”, describing the “key feature” was the creation of “five-minute neighbourhoods”.

“So you do not have to take your car to go shopping or to get things on a day to day basis, but can walk to one of the three squares close to you,” said the architect, who added that the team had “worked hard to design out cars”, with streets including plants and trees.

“We want to show what kind of place you can get when you design a low car-use street. It becomes a place people cherish and enjoy, where neighbours can meet,” said the architect., adding that the work is a “labour of love”.,

The architect described it as “very exciting” and claimed not to have “seen a neighbourhood like this anywhere in the world yet”.

Cllr Katie Porrer (Lib Dem, Market) said planting in streets can get walked across by people and asked the planners to consider how they will “balance” people walking around and using the area with it also being a green place.

She suggested planting early to give the trees and other plants a chance to grow before people move in.

She queried how many of the flats would be single aspect, with only one side featuring a wall that has windows facing the outside.

The planners said they are trying to maximise the number of dual aspect homes, highlighting the courtyard design proposed for many of the blocks, which also creates central spaces for people to use.

The planners acknowledged that there would be a few single aspect flats, but testing had been carried out to make sure they would not overheat, with ventilation included to make sure they are comfortable to live in.

Cllr Martin Smart (Lab, King’s Hedges) described Hartree as an “exciting scheme” but urged the master developers to make sure people want to use the outdoor spaces they propose.

“I walk around modern spaces in Cambridge and I do not see the people in them,” he said. “They are barren spaces. They are lovely and well designed, but there is no one there - they are all indoors on devices. You need to design in a reason for people to be there in that space.”

Hartree’s creation depends on permission being granted for a replacement sewage works.

Anglian Water applied for a Development Consent Order (DCO) to build the new waste water treatment plant on green belt land north of the A14 between Horningsea and Fen Ditton, known as Honey Hill.

The government has committed £277million to the project to build the new sewage works, with the overall cost estimated to be around £400million.

A decision on the DCO application had been due to be made this month, but was delayed until the new year by secretary of state Steve Reed.

He announced he was extending the deadline to January 12, 2025, to allow more time for officials to “conduct further consultation on emerging planning policy and analysis of responses to the consultation”.

The Hartree master developers said if the DCO for the sewage works is approved in January, then they plan to submit an outline application for the development in early March.