14 July 2022
The South Cambridgeshire Investment Partnership (SCIP), an equal (50:50) partnership between South Cambridgeshire District Council and Hill Group, is asking for comments on its refreshed proposals for its site in Cambourne.
The site is 19.2 acres of land previously proposed for offices and car parking and now proposed for a residential development to help tie Cambourne West in to the rest of Cambourne. The site is located to the north of Lower Cambourne, south of the Business Park Road.
Following helpful feedback from local residents during the consultation held last year, SCIP has redesigned the masterplan with an aspiration to ensure the new community is better connected with the surrounding areas including Lower Cambourne and emerging Cambourne West via paths and cycleways. The new designs include a large central park, market square and reduced number of homes.
The proposed new neighbourhood comprises up to 260 high-quality environmentally friendly homes, 40% of which will be affordable housing of a range of tenures. The homes range in size from one bedroom apartments to five bedroom family homes, catering for the full spectrum of potential residents. Alongside the new affordable housing, the plans include new green open spaces rich in biodiversity, a children’s play area, walking, cycling and pedestrian routes and public transport links, a new market square and the proposed conversion of the existing marketing suite to a café.
The development will be entirely gas-free, with air source heat pumps fitted in every home, alongside water-efficient technology to reduce water consumption. All the new properties will have thick walls and high performance insulation, optimising home comfort by staying warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. The affordable rented homes will be owned and managed by the Council and will be upgraded further to meet either Passivhaus or Net Zero Carbon standards. At least 50% of the homes will have electric vehicle charging points, with the remaining 50% benefiting from the ductwork installed for easy future connection. Externally, the landscaping will be designed to strategically enhance wildlife, including new trees, hedges, wildflowers, a pond and swales, with the existing woodland preserved.
The consultation has been designed to encourage neighbouring residents and the local community to feed their views directly into SCIP; working together to continue to shape the development of the area, with a focus on creating a thriving, environmentally-friendly place where people will want to live and work.
Throughout the month the local community is invited to meet the team and provide feedback on the emerging new masterplans. SCIP is hosting two in-person events on Wednesday 13th July from 15.30-19.30 and on Saturday 16th July from 10:30-14:30 at the Marketing Suite in Cambourne Business Park and one virtual webinar on Monday 18th July, 18:00 - 19:00, which will feature a presentation from the project team followed by a Q&A session. Attendees are encouraged to discuss the outline masterplan and what they would like to see included in this new community.
As well as the events and additional information being distributed directly, SCIP is also launching an online survey for ongoing feedback, which contains the plans, indicative house images, details of the Partnership and the extensive environmental credentials of the proposed gas free development. The consultation is due to close on 6th August and once all of the feedback has been received and considered, with consultation responses incorporated into the scheme where possible and appropriate for the setting, SCIP intends to submit a formal planning application in the Autumn.
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We have redesigned the masterplan to ensure we address a key planning consideration - how do we make sure this new, sustainable community is integrated into the rest of Cambourne and specifically walking and cycling links with the emerging Cambourne West development. With the increase in public spaces, the market square and the masterplan redesign, I am confident we have answered that question and we are looking forward to further discussion with local residents to make sure we are delivering what the local community wants and needs.
At SCIP we’re firm believers that it’s not just what we build that is important, but also how we build it. This Partnership will prioritise local supply chains, employ local apprentices on site where we can, conserve water and waste and, of course, ensure the design meets with our sustainability ambitions. By combining our experience and skill sets we will build developments that seek to regenerate local communities.
This development site marks the first land acquisition for the innovative joint venture partnership. SCIP was formed in October 2020 and aims to bring forward carefully-planned and environmentally-friendly homes and communities in the right places, without drawing on any existing landbanks or Council assets.
To find out more about the public consultation, please visit: https://scipatcambourne.co.uk where you can register for the events, view the plans and submit feedback. For more general information on the South Cambridgeshire Investment Partnership, visit: www.SC-IP.co.uk