Plans for new science district in Cambridge to tackle ‘severe lack of lab space’

Plans have been submitted for a new “globally significant” science district on a former landfill in Cambridge to address “severe lack of lab space”.

Developer Mission Street says its vision for land south of Coldhams Lane is to create a development that “transforms Cambridge lives”.

The application covers two plots, known as Parcel A and Parcel C, where research and development buildings with a total floorspace of 90,018 square metres will be built, alongside ancillary retail and parking facilities and ecological improvements.

The developer has previously said that the new development could create around 3,800 additional jobs.

The applicant states: “Development on Parcel A will include high-quality research and development space alongside community uses set in a high-quality landscape and public realm which will come forward as part of detailed and outline phases.

“Parcel A will be completely open to the public, making the employment space visible in line with a vision for science on show.

“The development will also activate the frontage onto the Tins allowing access into and across the site and creating new routes and links to the city.”

Parcel A is allocated for commercial uses in the adopted Cambridge Local Plan.

Vehicle access to Parcel A will be via a new T-junction with Norman Way, with pedestrians and cyclists entering the site via the Tins. Additional pedestrian access points will be created north onto Coldham’s Lane, west onto Norman Way and east onto the public footpath.

The proposed development for Parcel C will include access, cycle parking and appropriate gates and boundary treatment, landscaping and footpath improvements to allow for use of the lakes. It will form the urban country park.

“There is currently evidence that the lakes have been used without permission during warmer months for active recreation which is regularly addressed by Cambridge police. There are safety concerns related to the depth and temperature of the water and the unprotected edges related to historic uses as a chalk quarry,” the applicant says, adding that these will be addressed with “appropriate boundary treatments and effective management measures”.

A third plot – Parcel B – is to remain restricted from public access and managed as a local wildlife site. The proximity to Cambridge Airport to the north precludes it from a number of habitat types.

The developer expects that the ecological improvements will be focused on invertebrates through the creation of appropriate habitats.

The applicant continues: “A severe lack of lab space has been identified in the market at present with not enough being built to address the supply in the immediate future.

“Demand is at an all-time high for research and development space, particularly for high-quality spaces; however, availability remains low.

“While emerging local plan allocations may go some way to address this shortfall, these are large strategic sites with protracted delivery timelines and will not address immediate demand, in particular that for an urban innovation district.”

The developer has also set out plans for a community building called The Mixer for those working on the park to socialise.

This building would be open to the wider public as well, with rooms available for booking.

A planning application was submitted for the site in 2021 by The Anderson Group for logistics and light industrial development on Parcel A, ecological enhancements on Parcel B, and limited landscape works to create access to Parcel C.

That application was withdrawn earlier this year following Mission Street’s acquisition of Parcel A.

Mission Street is a specialist investor, operator and developer focused on the delivery of creative solutions for the evolving science and innovation sector.