In support of the gathering momentum being established by Urban&Civic, JTP has prepared and submitted a Design Code and Masterplan for the second Key Phase of development at this former airfield – one which includes the future Town Centre and which will connect directly to the recently completed active travel bridge spanning the adjacent A10.

Located north of Cambridge, Waterbeach is strategically positioned to support the region’s continued growth, and lies within easy reach of Cambridge Science Park, Cambridge Research Park and the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. This second phase will see the establishment of the civic and social heart of this emerging community including up to 2,700 new homes alongside schools, parks, sports facilities, a health centre, shops, cafés and community spaces – all supported by major investment in sustainable transport and green infrastructure.

This submission to South Cambridgeshire District Council represents an important milestone in the evolution of one of the UK’s most significant planned new settlements. The masterplan and Design Code set out the design principles, standards and vision that will guide delivery of the heart of the new community.

A connected network of green and blue infrastructure will run through the neighbourhood, designed to support flood management, biodiversity and habitat enhancement and provide unique green spaces for residents. The existing lake is central to the strategy, serving as a significant recreational and landscape destination that will be connected to existing and future parkland by a broader network of active travel routes. These include car-free paths along the historic route of a causeway that once linked the village to Denny Abbey, and along the axis of the former main runway.

Inherited features – the former Barracks grid layout, sections of the runway, the Control Tower, the existing lake and areas of retained woodland – have been treated as assets to be revealed and reinterpreted, anchoring the new settlement into its physical and historical context.

“This exciting next phase builds on the foundations of Phase 1 and enables the next stage of Waterbeach’s growth. Key Phase 2 is where Waterbeach New Town will truly find its heart, bringing forward the Town Centre, schools and the green spaces that will define everyday life here for years to come. We have worked hard to help create a place that feels rooted in its history while being designed for the future, and we look forward to seeing these plans progress.”

Emma Armstrong, Partner at JTP