South Cambridgeshire District Council has approved plans for a Royal London joint venture to build 4,500 homes and commercial buildings at Waterbeach New Town East.
The new town, being delivered by Royal London alongside Aquila Investments and Turnstone Estates, will comprise thousands of new homes, of which 30% will be affordable, in addition to 24,800 square metres, or circa 266,945 square feet, of employment space.
Plans also include a secondary school, two primary schools, and a sixth-form centre, as well as more than 35 hectares of open space, including a 20-acre country park. The masterplan, which will contribute more than £100 million for local infrastructure, "place[s] cyclists and pedestrians ahead of the car".
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, located at the former RAF Waterbeach base.
Alongside approval for 4,500 new homes, the joint venture received consent from South Cambridgeshire District Council in 2018 to relocate the existing Waterbeach Station one mile to the north, in the New Town East site.
The latest planning permission allows the joint venture WDC to move into delivery phases, beginning with key infrastructure projects, such as the relocation of the railway station. Funding for the relocation has been secured via a repayable grant from Homes England and a contribution from the Greater Cambridge Partnership.
Tim Deacon, managing director of Turnstone Estates, said in a statement: "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."