South Cambridgeshire District Council has approved up to 4,500 homes for a new neighbourhood north of the village of Waterbeach. 

Source: South Cambridgeshire District Council

What Waterbeach New Town East is expected to look like

Plans for Waterbeach New Town East include 30% affordable housing, a 20-acre country park, one secondary school, two primary schools and a sixth-form centre.

An objection from the Environment Agency delayed planning permission when the application was first considered by the district council in January 2021. The government body cited water scarcity as a major issue but replaced its objection with a recommendation that conditions be imposed in November 2024.

The Waterbeach Development Company, a joint venture between Aquila Investments, Royal London Asset Management and Turnstone Estates is behind the scheme and will contribute over £100m for local infrastructure.

As part of the development, the existing Waterbeach Train Station will be relocated to the new town, due to reopen in 2027. The greater Cambridge Partnership, which is the local infrastructure improvement and housing delivery body for central government, will work with Homes England on the relocation.

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Tumi Hawkins, lead cabinet member for planning at South Cambridgeshire District Council, said: “Being able to issue the final permission for this site will help the Council to meet the growing pressure on local authorities to identify and bring forward sites for new housing.

“In Greater Cambridge our annual housing target has grown this month from 1,675 homes per year in the adopted 2018 Local Plan to 2,309 homes per year. Ensuring with our partners, such as the Greater Cambridge Partnership, that Waterbeach can fully contribute to meeting that annual target as soon as possible is therefore important.”

The upcoming neighbourhood forms part of the 560-hecatre site identified by the council in its 2018 local plan as suitable for up to 11,000 new dwellings.

Urban and Civic secured planning consent in 2019 for 6,500 homes on the western portion of the site, located at the former RAF Waterbeach base