Haworth Tompkins, Alison Brooks Architects, Bell Phillips, Feilden Fowles and Kjellander Sjöberg appointed for 48ha development in city’s north east

U+I_TOWN_Camb_Core_Site_Aerial_View_web

Source: U+I / TOWN

The Core Site in north-east Cambridge, seen from the north.

Stirling Prize-winners Haworth Tompkins and Alison Brooks Architects are among a cast of big names appointed to work up proposals for a new 5,000-home neighbourhood in north east Cambridge.

Developers U+I and TOWN have appointed Swedish practice Kjellander Sjöberg Architects to masterplan work on the 48ha neighbourhood, earmarked for the site of Anglian Water’s Cambridge Waste Water Treatment Plant.

Other high profile practices who are part of the team include Bell Phillips, 5th Studio Architects, Nooma Studio and Feilden Fowles – Building Design’s 2021 Architect of the Year.

In addition to the Anglian Water site, delivering the new neighbourhood will also require the redevelopment of a golf driving range, a depot and commercial buildings. As well as new homes, there will be new schools, shops, workplaces and parks based on the “five-minute neighbourhood” principle. It will be served by the Cambridge North Station, designed by Atkins, which opened in 2017.

U+I creative director Martyn Evans said the Kjellander Sjöberg-led team had been appointed in recognition of its “broad and deep expertise”, including international exemplar projects and “invaluable” local knowledge.

“We’re looking forward to this collaboration producing a world-class scheme which will become a blueprint for the delivery of new urban districts across the UK,” he said.

U+I_TOWN_Camb_Core_Site_Map_URBED_web

Source: U+I / TOWN / URBED

The Core Site in Cambridge is earmarked for 5,000 new homes

Kjellander Sjöberg founding director Stefan Sjöberg said the masterplan area – known as the “Core Site” – was a rare chance to shape the future of the university city.

”The Core Site is a real opportunity to engage with Cambridge; to envision an amazing place that is inclusive, sustainable, and anchored into its unique heritage and local character with connections to the adjacent Fen landscape,” he said.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance to shape an inspiring example of future neighbourhoods based on the principles of the five-minute city – where everything is near, and walking and biking are the priority.”

The design team said it plans to spend the remainder of the year gathering community input for the masterplan and engaging with local authorities. A planning application is expected to be submitted towards the end of next year.

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