Revised Eddington masterplan features 3,800 more homes, green spaces, community facilities and commercial units

A revised masterplan for Eddington, featuring plans for 3,800 more homes, green spaces, community facilities and active travel routes, has been unveiled by the University of Cambridge.

It has submitted an outline planning application for future phases at the North West Cambridge development and will launch a series of public information sessions from Monday (20 October).

It follows three rounds of consultation in the last year, which have helped shape the updated proposals, and construction could begin next year.

Matt Johnson, head of development for North West Cambridge at the University of Cambridge, said: “This is an important milestone for Eddington. Submitting the masterplan reflects years of engagement with the community, and we’re proud of the balanced and ambitious proposals we have put forward. Eddington is already a place where people live, learn, and connect, and with the future phases it will continue to grow into one of the most sustainable and vibrant neighbourhoods in Cambridge.”

Work began in 2013 in Eddington, which was the university’s response to the housing challenge in Cambridge and designed to help staff and postgraduates find homes in the city so it could continue to attract leading researchers, academics and innovators.

In a survey conducted by the university, 89 per cent of respondents said it was either difficult or impossible to find a suitable home when they moved to Cambridge.

During the first phase of development, 1,850 homes have been built or are under construction, along with Storey’s Field Centre community hub, the University of Cambridge Primary School and a central square with shops and restaurants.

The masterplan details how 3,800 more homes will be built, meaning Eddington will eventually provide 5,650 homes in total, with up to 50 per cent designated as affordable homes for university key workers and the rest available on the open market.

This includes homes for up to 1,675 students, which will bring the total number of student homes at Eddington to 2,000.

The mixture of homes will include everything from townhouses to maisonettes to apartments, with varied roofscapes and heights, and will continue the commitment to high levels of sustainability in Eddington, where there is a site-wide sustainable urban drainage system, communal underground waste and recycling system and extensive photovoltaics generating renewable energy. More than one third of Eddington will remain as green or open space.

The masterplan also features:

- improved community facilities, including new sports pitches, growing plots and spaces for recreation such as running routes and BMX tracks;

- continued prioritisation of active and sustainable travel, to build on Eddington’s current record of 79 per cent of trips made by walking, cycling, or public transport;

- about 50 hectares of open space, including parks, play areas and community gardens; and

- commercial and social spaces.

The north-western area of Eddington will eventually feature more than 100,000 sq m of employment space, with a mixture of academic and commercial uses creating opportunities for collaboration, particularly with the nearby Cambridge West Innovation District.

About 40 per cent of the space will be focused on commercial activity, providing facilities for research and development, offices and mid-tech units to attract technology companies, research engineers and innovators, while the rest will be home to university buildings, including laboratories, offices and research facilities.

Mid-tech describes spaces designed for light manufacturing and technology development. At Eddington, these units will support high-growth businesses working on research, prototyping and the creation of new technologies.

Attendees to the public information sessions will be able to view the updated masterplan, see visualisations of how the neighbourhood will evolve, speak to the project team and find out how to comment on the outline planning application.

The application will be considered by the joint development management committee of Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council.

Public information sessions

Monday, 20 October, 11am-2pm at West Hub at Cambridge West
Monday 20 October, 6-7pm - online webinar
Tuesday, 21October, 4-7pm at Postdoc Centre at Eddington
Wednesday, 22October, 4-7pm at Postdoc Centre at Eddington
Thursday, 23October, 11am-2pm at West Hub at Cambridge West