The Cambridge sewage works remaining in Cowley Road could mean fewer homes built at the Cambridge Business Park redevelopment than had been planned.
Fewer homes than planned could be built in the redevelopment of the Cambridge Business Park if the Cambridge sewage works is not moved. Developers said around 70 per cent of the business park in Milton Road is covered by an ‘odour zone’ from the sewage works, where homes are restricted from being built.
Plans had been approved to replace the Cambridge Waste Water Treatment Plant with a new facility on land to the north of the A14 between Horningsea and Fen Ditton, known as Honey Hill. This project stalled after the government said it would no longer provide funding after estimated costs increased.
Councillors from Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council heard on Wednesday (December 17) that this decision had impacted plans for the redevelopment of the nearby Cambridge Business Park.
The Crown Estate, owner of the business park, is planning to redevelop the site to create new office and laboratory spaces for start-ups and established businesses, alongside new homes, leisure, and cultural facilities. An outline application is planned to be submitted for the project in spring 2026.
Matt Sampson, the project lead and director at The Crown Estate, said they are “still hopeful” the sewage works would be moved at some point in the future. However, he said due to the “uncertainty” around this they felt “greater responsibility” with the business park redevelopment to “provide some place making, and some of the district centre required to deliver that shared ambition for the wider area”.
Other representatives of The Crown Estate explained that the existing odour zone around the sewage works remaining in place meant homes could not be built in some parts of the site as planned. They said they had therefore adapted the plans to design a scheme that would be “deliverable from day one”.
Outside of the odour zone a 200 to 250 bedroom co-living building is proposed on the edge of the site off Milton Road, which the development team said would “mark the gateway to the site”. They added that they are also looking at building a further 190 to 210 homes within the site, outside the odour zone.
The representatives said they had put plans in place that could see further homes built if there is a change to the odour zone constraints.
They explained how a number of “work space to residential switch plots” are proposed within the existing odour zone, which would be adaptable depending on whether there has been a change to the odour zone coverage when those buildings are built. The development team said if the environmental constraints are removed they could build up to 500 homes at the site.
Concerns shared site could become a ‘dead space’ at night
Councillor Martin Smart said the existing odour zone covered parts of Milton and north Cambridge. He asked whether reducing the number of homes planned in the redevelopment was due to the odour zone, or due to ‘convenience’, as he suggested mitigations could make it possible.
The development team said they had not changed the plans due to ‘convenience‘, but because they had been told that homes could not be built within the odour zone.
Councillor Dr Martin Cahn asked whether the odour zone would have an impact on the viability of the commercial buildings proposed at the site. Mr Sampson said this is an issue they deal with at the business park at the moment, and said they are “confident it will still be attractive and work for the market”.
Councillor Katie Porrer said she understood why homes could not be built within the odour zone, but raised concerns about the 15 storey co-living building proposed on the edge of the site. She said she “struggled to see the design rationale“ for a building of that size in that area.
Cllr Porrer also raised concerns that having fewer homes as part of the redevelopment could see the site become a “dead space” at night where “people do not want to walk through”. She urged the developers to be “really clear” about their plans for CCTV and sight lines, and how they could encourage people to use the area.
Mr Sampson said ensuring safety and security would be a “challenge”, but highlighted their hope to create shops, restaurants, and community facilities to encourage people to come in and use the site.
Addressing the concern about the building height, the development team said 68 per cent of respondents to their consultations had said they supported a variety of building heights. They said that 82 per cent of respondents had supported the creation of a “new landmark building”.
Councillor Dr Tumi Hawkins said people may have said they supported a variety of heights, but this did not necessarily mean they supported the creation of a 15-storey building. Mr Sampson said the team would take this feedback away and consider their response to it.
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