NIAB

The site (53 hectares), which is mainly in agricultural use, is located between Huntingdon Road and Histon Road, Cambridge - commonly known as the NIAB site. 

Proposed development content

  • Residential development of about 1780 dwellings in a range of types and sizes (40% affordable housing).
  • A combined primary school and community facilities, retail units,and open space.
  • A park is proposed in the centre of the development that will cater for formal and informal sports provision and a green corridor is proposed along the Cambridge City/South Cambridgeshire District boundary.
  • Projected population and housing density: c4,000; overall density of 50 dwellings to the hectare.

Current planning status

  • The first houses on the Huntingdon Road frontage (187 homes including 30% affordable)) are being marketed and occupation is underway. The dwellings range from 1 to 4 bedroom properties, with a mix of flats, flats over garages, duplex units and houses. The site is served by a temporary access from Whitehouse Lane but will eventually form the main access into the wider site.
  • On 14 July 2010 a joint committee made up of Councillors representing Cambridge City, South Cambridgeshire District and Cambridgeshire County Council approved two outline planning applications for a further 1,593 homes on the main site; and the formation of vehicular and pedestrian access. The first application [Ref: C/07/003/OUT] was for up to 1593 residential dwellings, a primary school with children's centre, a convenience store of approximately 1200 metres squared and up to six mixed retail/service units approximately 100 metres squared each. The application also included a park in the centre of the development, informal open space and outdoor sports facilities, along with other recreational facilities throughout the site. Subject to the signing of a legal agreement [referred to as a Section 106 agreement], expected in December, the developer undertakes to build a range of 'social infrastructure' such as health, library, sports pavilion and community cafe. In August 2011 the Joint Committee removed the condition required by the Highways Agency that restricted the development to 350 dwellings before measures to improve the performance of the A14 had been completed. It is understood that the Highways Agency, following further work done by the applicant, were satisfied that the limitation was no longer necessary.
  • An application [S/0001/07/F] concerned with the formation of a vehicular, pedestrian and cycleway access from Histon Road to serve the urban extension of the city together with drainage and landscaping works was approved in July 2010.
  • The development of informal planning policy guidance relating to food store provision in North West Cambridge (following public consultation in the Autumn 2010) was considered by the City Council in July 2010 and adopted in March 2011. It has been decided that there will be two medium sized supermarkets of 2,000 sq m net floorspace, one in the Local Centre at the NIAB site and one in the Local Centre at Cambridge University’s North West Cambridge site.

Websites:

http://www.cambridge.gov.uk/democracy/Published/C00000188/M00000290/AI00001434/HuntRdandHistonRd.pdf

http://www.cambridgeshirehorizons.co.uk/whats_going_on/projects/project_background.aspx?ID=5

http://www.cambridge.gov.uk/ccm/content/growth-and-urban-expansion/where-growth-will-happen/cambridges-north-west-fringe.en

Contacts
Prospective developer: David Wilson Homes/ Barratts Strategic on behalf of a landowners consortium
Masterplanners: LDA Design
Agents: Bidwells
Local authority lead officers: Kirsty Carmichael for the frontage site and Mark Parsons for the main site (Cambridge City Council) switchboard 01223 457200

 

Updated 12.11.11

Cambridge Past, Present & Future

www.cambridgeppf.org

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