Site Tour of North West Cambridge Development
| Date & Time: | July 13, 2017 2:00 pm | Add to Calendar (.ics) |
| Venue: | Site Office , Gravel Hill farm |
The 150 hectare (370 acre) site is partly within the area of Cambridge City Council and partly within South Cambridgeshire District Council. It is owned by the University of Cambridge and was formerly a mix of farmland and University buildings. Over one-third of the site will be retained as open space.
The site provides the opportunity for balanced growth of the University and City towards the north west, with proximity and good connections to the city centre and West Cambridge.
The site location will enable the majority of journeys to be by foot, bicycle or public transport, reinforcing the aim to build a community with links to existing neighbourhoods.
The development has been inspired by the evolution of the character of the City of Cambridge, particularly looking at the architectural and urban qualities that define the many sociable spaces in the centre. The intention is not to impose a blanket pattern book across this new piece of city but to establish a coherent greater whole, calibrated creatively at the scale of urban typologies such as city parks, streets, squares, college courts and more informal landscapes, like the Backs.
Learning from the historic centre, the development establishes a strong starting point, including a new city park and other landscapes and public open space; three distinct neighbourhoods for families and the diversity of residents anticipated; a local centre at higher density providing amenity and focus for the public life of the new community as it grows; at least two new collegiate clusters for student accommodation; and three academic and commercial research clusters, interweaving working life within the place.
Through careful selection of an interacting group of architects and landscape architects, the University is creating an urban realm where architecture and open space are consciously choreographed to create great new urban compositions and a completely integrated built and natural environment.
The North West Cambridge site includes:
- 1,500 homes for University and College staff
- 1,500 private houses for sale
- Accommodation for 2,000 postgraduates
- 100,000 sqm of academic and research and development space of which up to 40% may be private research with University connection or Research Institutes
- Community facilities such as a primary school, community centre, health centre, supermarket and local shops
- A hotel
- Care home
- Sustainable transport provision including cycle ways
- Sports Centre and playing fields
- Public Open space
Tickets are limited so this is for members only.