Government unlocks 119-acre Landsec resi site
LandsecU+I has seen a 5,600-home redevelopment in Cambridge move closer after the secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs consented to the relocation of the Anglian Water Services sewage works to a new site.
Steve Reed has approved the construction and operation of an integrated wastewater treatment centre.
The proposals, lodged at the end of April 2023, were referred to the secretary in July last year. A decision was expected to be made in October 2024, but Reed extended the deadline to allow more time “to conduct further consultation on emerging planning policy and analysis of responses to the consultation”.
LandsecU+I has seen a 5,600-home redevelopment in Cambridge move closer after the secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs consented to the relocation of the Anglian Water Services sewage works to a new site.
Steve Reed has approved the construction and operation of an integrated wastewater treatment centre.
The proposals, lodged at the end of April 2023, were referred to the secretary in July last year. A decision was expected to be made in October 2024, but Reed extended the deadline to allow more time “to conduct further consultation on emerging planning policy and analysis of responses to the consultation”.
The decision, made earlier this week, unlocks LandsecU+I and Town’s proposed development of Hartree, a residential-led mixed-use quarter that will be delivered on the 119-acre site, owned by Anglian Water and Cambridge City Council.
The submission of the masterplan was held back last year due to its dependency on the water treatment plant being relocated.
The partners have held a series of talks with local community and stakeholders regarding the project. During the first pre-application meeting in February last year, the jv had proposed to quadruple the commercial and research and development space within the scheme to almost 1m sq ft, including 70,503 sq ft for retail, 19,375 sq ft for food and beverage and 89,340 sq ft for workshop use.
After the second pre-application meeting late last year, the masterplan for Hartree has expanded to include 50 acres of open space and 5,600 homes. The developers have also drafted in two primary schools, a library, a health hub, a sports hall and two cultural facilities.
A spokesperson for Landsec told Estates Gazette: “This decision shows the government is serious about prioritising brownfield urban regeneration, which we believe is the best way to create the growth, homes and jobs we need across Cambridge and the UK. It’s now up to our team to deliver on this ambition.
“We’re busy finalising a planning application, which we expect to submit later this year, to create a new urban quarter in Cambridge, with 5,600 new homes, shops, workplaces, schools, community and leisure facilities. All alongside increased biodiversity and green spaces.”
