Railpen hands out £277m contracts for its Cambridge sites
Railpen has appointed Skanska UK and Morgan Sindall Construction as main contractors for its first two developments in Cambridge.
Skanska has secured the £200m contract to build Botanic Place, designed by AHMM. The project aims to deliver the most sustainable speculatively-built workspace outside of London, targeting BREEAM Outstanding, WELL and Wired Scored Platinum ratings.
The 540,000 sq ft scheme will prioritise energy efficiency, using 70% less energy than traditional office buildings, and will be powered using renewable energy sources.
Railpen has appointed Skanska UK and Morgan Sindall Construction as main contractors for its first two developments in Cambridge.
Skanska has secured the £200m contract to build Botanic Place, designed by AHMM. The project aims to deliver the most sustainable speculatively-built workspace outside of London, targeting BREEAM Outstanding, WELL and Wired Scored Platinum ratings.
The 540,000 sq ft scheme will prioritise energy efficiency, using 70% less energy than traditional office buildings, and will be powered using renewable energy sources.
Morgan Sindall will construct Devonshire Gardens in a £77m contract. The development will comprise a new community on Mill Road connected by a landscaped park. It will deliver up to 150,000 sq ft of commercial space, 70 flats, 8,500 sq ft of food and beverage space, and 1.55 acres of public open spaces.
Morgan Sindall is set to begin works on Devonshire Gardens in April, while Skanska is due to start on-site in July. Estimated completion dates are April 2026 and March 2027, respectively.
Both projects are being developed by Socius on behalf of Railpen, a manager of around £34bn of assets on behalf of the railways pension schemes.
Doug Higgins, development director at Socius, said: “We are on track to provide a new benchmark for other developers and investors to follow, paving the way for an enhanced future within Cambridge and the wider area.”
Richard Van Lente, senior asset and development manager at Railpen, said: “The appointment of both Skanska UK and Morgan Sindall marks a significant moment within our Cambridge portfolio as we work to deliver best-in-class assets and generate strong long-term returns for our members.”
Images: Botanic House © AHMM, Devonshire Gardens © Buckley Gray Yeoman
