Council to vote on £54m regeneration plan

The regeneration would focus on two sites in East Barnwell, Cambridge

A date has been set for councillors to decide if a £54m regeneration project in a deprived area can go ahead.

Cambridge City Council is looking to redevelop two sites at the Newmarket Road junction in East Barnwell to create a new local centre and build 120 flats.

The proposals for the redevelopment have been put forward by the Cambridge Investment Partnership, a development company set up by the city council and Hill Investment Partnerships.

Councillors will vote on the plans at a meeting on 11 June.

The company said there had been “little investment” in community facilities in East Barnwell for many years.

Under the proposals the existing buildings on both of the sites would be demolished, including the Abbey Bowls Club, the library, and a parade of 1960s shops with flats above them, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

'Sustainable location'

In their place 120 new affordable homes would be built, alongside a new community centre, library, pre-school, shops and potentially a new cafe.

The new homes would include 43 one-bedroom flats, 61 two-bedroom flats, 12 three-bedroom flats, and four three-bedroom maisonettes.

The application has been recommended for approval by planning officers.

In a report published ahead of the meeting, officers said: “The development would increase the amount of affordable housing in a sustainable location to help meet an identified demand within the local area."

It also said the development would not have a detrimental impact on its surroundings and would provide "high quality, sustainable development".

Some people have raised concerns that the development will be "overbearing"

However, concerns have been raised from some people in the area about the redevelopment, with 29 objections against the plans being formally lodged with the city council.

Concerns were raised about the potential “overbearing nature” of some of the new flat blocks proposed, with one person stating they felt the development was trying to “cram as many houses as possible onto one site”.

The Abbey Bowls Club has also objected to the redevelopment that would see its existing base demolished.

The club said it will not move until a new location “with agreed modern facilities” is built.

A petition was also set up raising concerns about the loss of the existing shops while the redevelopment construction work takes place.