Developers boost R&D space at Cambridge scheme
LandsecU+I and Town have expanded their development ambitions for Hartree, a residential-led mixed-use quarter in Cambridge.
During the most recent pre-application meeting, the partners proposed delivering 1m sq ft of commercial and research and development space, representing a sharp increase on the initial plan to deliver 250,000 sq ft.
The move comes as the developers say they expect the scheme to benefit from the supply and demand imbalance of R&D space in the region.
LandsecU+I and Town have expanded their development ambitions for Hartree, a residential-led mixed-use quarter in Cambridge.
During the most recent pre-application meeting, the partners proposed delivering 1m sq ft of commercial and research and development space, representing a sharp increase on the initial plan to deliver 250,000 sq ft.
The move comes as the developers say they expect the scheme to benefit from the supply and demand imbalance of R&D space in the region.
According to recent data from Savills, 346,000 sq ft of labs transacted in Cambridge over the year, up 61% on the previous record, which stood at 212,000 sq ft in 2019.
Savills has warned that there remains limited supply of space across the Cambridge market, which is expected to hamper take-up figures.
The masterplan for Hartree also includes 50 acres of open space and 5,600 homes, of which 40% are expected to be affordable, split across apartment buildings and family-sized townhouses.
The development will be set around the concept of the five-minute neighbourhood, with three new schools, shops, and leisure and community facilities.
LandsecU+I and Town are looking to hold another two rounds of public consultation on the project in March and September, before submitting a planning application in November this year.
Hartree is set to span 119 acres of brownfield land, owned by Cambridge City Council and Anglian Water.
The redevelopment of the site is subject to Anglian Water’s sewage works relocation to Honey Hill.
The wider project team includes Kjellander Sjöberg, LOLA, Useful Projects and Pell Frischmann.
The site forms part of the region’s northern fringe cluster comprising Cambridge Science Park, Cambridge Business Park, St John’s Innovation Park and Cambridge North, where Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council are jointly working on unlocking development sites for 8,000 homes and more than 2.9m sq ft of commercial space.
Other sites proposed for potential redevelopment within the cluster include a three-acre industrial site on Cowley Road, which hit the market at £20m last week.
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Image © Kjellander Sjöberg
