Aug 07, 2026

Cambridge Business Park: Planning Application Validated

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Mayfield in The New York Times

0487 Cambridge Business Park SEW VIEW 13 E Milton Road Aerial

Studio Egret West, for The Crown Estate leads the design for a landmark mixed-use innovation district at the heart of North East Cambridge.

The Crown Estate has submitted a planning application for the 20 acre Cambridge Business Park Masterplan forming a key part of the emerging North East Cambridge Innovation District and the wider Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor.

Studio Egret West as Lead Designer, Masterplan Architect and Landscape Architect alongside a specialist team of collaborators have crafted a vision transforming the Cambridge Business Park we see today to become a new centre of gravity for a globally significant innovation district, shaped by a rich mix of uses, shared spaces and pioneering landscape – creating a culture of innovation, openness and collaboration.

0487 Cambridge Business Park SEW VIEW 01 E Aerial

Cambridge Business Park Aerial CGI

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Cambridge Business Park Aerial CGI with future development context

0487 Cambridge Business Park Place Principle Diagram1

Connectivity: A Permeable District Centre

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Connectivity: Active Travel

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Climate: Blue and Green Infrastucture

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Climate: Fit for the Future

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Community: An Active Ground Floor

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Community: A Flexible Framework

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Character: A Legible Neighbourhood

0487 Cambridge Business Park Place Principle Diagram8

Character: Four Character Areas

The proposals include up to 1.8 million sqft of flexible workspace, with dedicated space for start-ups, incubators and collaboration, supporting over 8,000 jobs, including roles in high-growth science and innovation sectors. The 20-acre site will deliver a new neighbourhood with a mix of homes, including affordable and co-living, responding to local housing needs and evolving housing models. Up to 30,000 sq ft of retail and leisure space will be provided, including shops, restaurants, bars and cafés.

Innovation will be woven into everyday life at Cambridge Business Park and the architectural, landscape and ecological design will reflect that - from ground level to rooftop, with deep retrofit on existing buildings, material reuse and a water first approach that reduces use and flood resilient.

Testbed Courtyard

Testbed North West Access

Testbed Mobility Hub

Green Loop West

Main Square

Main Square Colonnade

The landscape led framework introduces new public green open spaces and enhances green and blue infrastructure as part of a wider community network. Prioritising education and learning, the landscape will be pioneering in nature, aiming to address social and environmental challenges. The landscape aims to be a test bed for research, collecting data that can be used to inform the design of future phases, and the long-term management of the landscape.

The masterplan is underpinned by strong sustainability and connectivity principles, responding to both local priorities and Cambridge’s strategic role in the UK’s innovation economy.

Cambridge plays a critical role in the UK’s innovation economy as one of the world’s leading innovation hubs, with Cambridge Business Park at its heart. Our masterplan proposal sets out a bold, long-term plan to support the city’s growth, while delivering market leading environmental and landscape proposals, as well as lasting and inclusive benefits for communities and the wider economy. Alongside the long-term transformation that the masterplan proposes, it’s crucial that we start to contribute today to the future of Cambridge. This is why we are committing £1.5 million to Greater Cambridge Impact, supporting impact investment for initiatives that benefit those in the city that need it the most.”

Kristy Lansdown Managing Director, Development at The Crown Estate

The proposals seek to transform Cambridge Business Park into a flexible and future-facing mixed-use district centre for North East Cambridge. By prioritising openness and connectivity, climate resilience, richness and variety of character, and an extensive range of new community amenities, the proposals respond to the evolving needs of occupiers and visitors alike, establishing a distinctive and well-connected place within Cambridge’s wider innovation ecosystem. These principles are woven together in a new mixed-use neighbourhood with spatial diversity and an identity of innovation. A neighbourhood where discovery, creativity and learning are visible, accessible and integrated into everyday life.”

Daniel Mahony Director, Studio Egret West

Community Green Space

0487 Cambridge Business Park SEW VIEW Community Hub

Park Edge Community Hub

0487 Cambridge Business Park SEW VIEW 12 Mixed Use Neighbourhood

A Mixed Use Neighbourhood

The Cambridge Business Park masterplan is true mixed-use regeneration, bringing together a variety of homes, workplaces, public realm, amenities, leisure, entertainment, restaurants and cafés. A connected neighbourhood where everyday life and discovery and innovation come together, creating impact at a national scale.

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Cambridge Illustrated Masterplan Jarrell Goh fuzzyzebra 1

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