The first occupants are University key workers and eligible for an affordable rent capped on average at a third of income. The creation of the first phase of the Eddington community is the culmination of a £350 million investment by the University of Cambridge. Its purpose is to support the University’s status as a leading academic institution on a global stage by providing affordable accommodation in a new community which is unprecedented in scale and ambition.
The first building being made available comprises 73 two bedroom and one bedroom apartments, and is designed by architects Maccreanor Lavington and Witherford Watson Mann.
The design of the first homes combines the old with the new, with pale brickwork drawing inspiration from traditional Cambridge housing, whilst modern design features mean the accommodation meets the Code for Sustainable Homes Level 5. This is also in keeping with the sustainability aims of the wider Eddington site.
The building is linked to the site-wide sustainable urban drainage system, the largest water recycling network in the country, and to the district heating system, and benefits from the communal underground waste and recycling system. Ample cycle storage and designated cycle lanes throughout Eddington will provide easy access to Cambridge city centre, whilst the market square, retail space and community centre at its heart will make Eddington a destination in its own right.
Heather Topel, Project Director for the North West Cambridge Development, said: “It is very gratifying to see our first residents moving into their new homes in Eddington, signifying this new community is now starting to take shape.
“As well as homes for University key workers, many more of whom will move in over the coming months, we are creating learning and social spaces, amenities and green areas, all combining to create a vibrant environment for people to live, learn and socialise in, whilst setting the standard in sustainable living.”
The arrival of the first residents follows the completion of Swirles Court in May, which will provide a purpose-built post-graduate complex that contains 325 en-suite rooms and is part of Girton College.
One of the first residents of Eddington is Kingsley Gale-Sides, a Research Associate in Astrophysics at the University’s Department of Physics. He commented: “The built environment here is excellent and I am a big fan of the sustainability aspects on-site. It’s exciting to be living in Eddington from the very beginning, and I’m hoping that I and others can encourage a sense of community amongst residents here to build on as more people move in over the next weeks and months.”
Image: The first homes at the University of Cambridge’s new district, Eddington
About Eddington
Eddington is a new community setting the standard in sustainable living, delivered by the University of Cambridge. This visionary urban area will provide new homes, learning spaces, amenities and green spaces, creating a vibrant environment for people to live, learn, and socialise in.
Eddington will secure the long-term success of the University by providing homes for its staff and students, to maintain its status as a leading academic institution on a global stage. The community is beautifully and innovatively designed, inspired by the architecture of the city and of the University of Cambridge.
The 150-hectare site will include:
- 1,500 homes for University and College key workers
- 1,500 homes for sale
- 2,000 study bedrooms for post-graduates in the collegiate University
- 100,000 square metres of research facilities
- A wide range of community facilities
Phase one includes:
- 700 homes for qualifying University and College staff
- A 325-room residential complex for post-graduates
- 450 market homes
- Public green space
- Facilities including a primary school, shops, community centre, nursery and a doctor’s surgery
The University’s approval will be sought for future phases, enabled through outline planning permission.
For more information:
Visit: http://www.nwcambridge.co.uk/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nwcambridge?lang=en
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Eddington@instinctif.com
Jamie Till – Senior Account Manager – Jamie.Till@instinctif.com / +44 207 427 1438
Andrew Davis – Junior Account Executive – Andrew.Davis@instinctif.com
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