South Cambridgeshire District Council has granted planning permission for the delivery of 4,500 homes at the Waterbearch New Town East development in Cambridgeshire.
The proposals were put forward by Waterbeach Development Company – a joint venture between Turnstone Estates, Royal London Asset Management and Aquila Investments.
Of the new homes delivered at the neighbourhood, 30% will be affordable. The masterplan, which was designed by LDA Design, also includes new schools, healthcare and sports facilities, 24,800 sq m of employment space comprising a mix of workspaces, shops, community hubs and leisure facilities, and more than 35 hectares of open space, including a 20-acre country park.
Waterbeach Development Company has already secured consent for Waterbeach Station to relocate and re-open by 2027 on the site. Funding for the relocation of the station has been secured via a payable grant from Homes England and a contribution from the Greater Cambridge Partnership.
Waterbeach New Town East forms part of the 560-hectare site identified by South Cambridgeshire District Council in the local plan of 2018 as suitable for up to 11,000 new homes. Urban and Civic secured planning consent in 2019 for 6,500 homes on the western portion of the site, at the former RAF Waterbeach base.
Tim Deacon, managing director of Turnstone Estates, said: “We are delighted to have received the formal planning permission from South Cambridgeshire District Council, enabling us to start the delivery of 4,500 new homes at Waterbeach New Town East.
“With funding for the relocation of the train station agreed and its delivery scheduled for 2027, we can ensure that sustainable infrastructure is in place for the residents of the Eastern side of Waterbeach New Town from day one. This will also enable the acceleration of housing delivery across the entire New Town, ensuring the homes that are needed to support the growth of Greater Cambridge can be delivered.”
Frazer Osment, chair of LDA Design, added: “Establishing a new town is a social endeavour. Waterbeach will be no isolated dormitory town, but rather a place for businesses to thrive, a place alive with play, and a place where it is easy for all residents to meet and get to know each other.”
