Wintringham development forges ahead

Construction has begun on a development which will see some 3,000 new homes created in St Neots, Cambridgeshire.

The project has seen Homes England, Urban&Civic and Nuffield Trusts at Oxford University working in collaboration to ensure the development gets off the ground and provides desperately needed housing in the area.

Phase one of the site comprises 1,000 new homes including affordable housing, the delivery of the first primary school, community and retail facilities and a health care provision.

The project is supported by Homes England through a ten year £26M Home Building Fund (HBF) infrastructure loan, in the joint venture with Urban&Civic and Nuffield Trusts. The project will deliver the legacy gifted by Lord Nuffield to maximise economic, environmental and social benefits, which will improve neighbourhoods and grow communities.

Local contractors, J Breheny Engineering, are currently on site, installing the initial roads, utilities and drainage systems across the first phase. Works will also include delivering an impressive cycle, a pedestrian walkway and green corridor which will run along the northern edge of the site, on Cambridge Road.

Aranee Mahadeva, Senior Specialist in Infrastructure and Complex Projects, at Homes England, said: “This project is a perfect example of Homes England working with partners to create a more resilient and diverse housing market. The £26M loan not only accelerates housing delivery but it also enables early delivery of community facilities, which will maximise the potential of a developing town.”

Tim Leathes, Development Director, at Urban&Civic, said: “We are very excited about the design for the first primary school at Wintringham, which will create an inspiring space for learning and the community, at the heart of our first phase. As well as far more practical things like putting in place future-proofed infrastructure and diverting power lines, we will also be introducing new landscaping to mark Wintringham Brook as a feature in the town and create attractive green space for people to enjoy from day one.

“Moving fast, achieving the standards is what Urban&Civic are renowned for and bringing forward all housing tenures from the outset, involves working in partnership. Homes England and the District Council are both playing a major role in expediting high quality delivery.”

New homes are due to complete next year, with the new primary school scheduled to open in September 2020, following occupancy of initial residents.

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