Cambourne, South Cambridgeshire
1995

Terry Farrell & Partners were appointed by Alfred McAlpine Homes and Stanhope in 1995 to prepare a masterplan and design guidelines for a new settlement located 8 miles west of Cambridge. The new settlement centre, with a substantial frontage onto the A428, provided for 3,000 homes, a 50 acre business park, leisure, landscape and infrastructure.

The primary aim and objective for the development of Cambourne embodied in the masterplan is sustainability.

The masterplan establishes a layout for "three villages" in harmony with the rural setting to create an identity for each residential area. The villages are located on the higher ground, enabling the existing river valleys to establish a landscape framework for an ecological park, golf course and recreation spaces.

The centre of Cambourne is focused around a high street, linking the three villages at the heads of the valleys and accommodating a range of public buildings including two schools, a church, health and community centres, a village store, police and fire stations. A multi-purpose leisure centre provides a variety of facilities for players and spectators and there are bowling greens and cricket pitches on each village green. Informal recreation is incorporated through the new woodlands and network of footpaths, cycleways and bridleways.

Open water is featured in the valleys and surface water attenuation lakes alleviate the risk of flooding to neighbouring areas. Ponds and marshy areas enhance the ecological framework. Reed beds provide filtration for the cleansing of surface water. Extensive fieldwork has identified a range of existing flora and fauna. Provision has been made for their protection and the creation of new habitats.

The Business Park now being built out by Development Securities, provides accommodation to suit companies of differing sizes and a 5 acre light industrial area is included. Within Cambourne's centre, retail and commercial premises fulfil the needs of the community.

As part of the nationwide effort to reduce energy use, the Cambourne masterplan facilitates the creation of low energy buildings and incorporates new ideas for a biomass energy supply utilising local farms to provide coppicing. Conservation of energy in relation to journeys within, to and from the site is respected. Movement on foot and by bicycle has been facilitated. Public transport connections to the wider area with an efficient routing through the site have been established. Motor vehicles have been adequately provided for but that provision is not dominant in the plan. The masterplan has been shaped by design guidelines to ensure it occurs in a manner that respects traditional English settlement patterns for villages and market towns.

Implementation of the masterplan has been carried out by a team led by the Cambourne consortium.