Cambourne

Cambourne is a new settlement nine miles west of Cambridge, with planning permission for 3,300 new homes, town centre facilities, a 50 ha Business Park and over 240 ha of public open space.

Randall Thorp have acted as landscape consultants since the scheme's inception in 1989 and were part of the team of consultants that drew up the masterplan in 1995. In addition to input to the planning and strategic design of Cambourne, Randall Thorp were also responsible for the detailed design and overseeing construction contracts for all elements of Green Infrastructure on site.

More detailed aims within the masterplan were:

Conservation of village character

Development will occur in a manner that respects traditional English settlement patterns for villages and market towns. The quintessential character of villages and market towns will be the basis for the Masterplan.

Conservation of community

Village life is often centred around certain key activities and/or buildings. The disposition of these elements in the Masterplan will reflect the social and community benefits that arise from the function of these buildings (or areas).
Within a larger overall community, there may be subdivision into smaller groups that help to establish identity for individuals and the area in which they live and work.
The Masterplan will respect the existing communities in the area by avoiding any unnecessary strain or burden upon their current framework.
Conservation of rural character

The landscape of South Cambridgeshire includes parkland, woodland and many delightful, intimate rural landscapes associated with villages and country houses, within wide expanses of otherwise open arable land.

The Master Plan will conserve existing features of landscape value within the site.
An attractive rural landscape will be created which reflects the best traditions of the South Cambridgeshire villages and country houses.
The landscape framework will enable the new settlement to be integrated harmoniously into the surrounding countryside.
Conservation of ecology

Ecological considerations will he incorporated throughout the design process and all development stages. Existing habitats and species of nature conservation value will be protected.

Biodiversity will be conserved and enhanced by habitat management and creation.
Habitats characteristic of the local area and region will be created.
Conservation of energy

Conservation of energy in relation to journeys within, to and from the site will be respected. Movement by foot, bicycle and other non-vehicular forms will be facilitated and encouraged.
Public transport connections to the wider area with an efficient routing through the site must be established.
Motor vehicles must be adequately provided for but that provision will not be dominant in the plan.
Facilities will be provided to allow residents and business
Randall Thorp contributed detailed design guidance to over 20 chapters in the 1995 Masterplan and Design Guide including:

Country and Eco Parks
The Entrance Park
Footpaths, Bridleways, Cycleways and Tracks
Village Greens
Greenways
Woodlands
Nature Reserves
Enclosure and Landscape at Development Edges
Integration of Development into the Landscape
Site Boundaries and Off Site Highways
Highway Verge Landscapes
Enclosure Types
Lakes and Wetlands, Landscape Treatments
Lakes and Wetlands, Engineering Requirements (with WSP)
Allotments
Amenity and Sport Land
School Grounds
Play Areas
Golf Course Landscape
Planting and Soft Landscape
Protection of Vegetation and Landscape Features
Protection of Soils

Overview

  • Project Name

    Cambourne

  • Location

    Cambridgeshire

  • Category

    Housing and garden cities

  • Landscape Architect

    Randall Thorp LLP

  • Client

    The Cambourne Consortium - Taylor Wimpey, Bovis

  • Brief

    To design and deliver a new settlement of 3300 homes for a consortium of private house builders that would meet or exceed planning requirements and be a place where people would choose to live. The main aim and objective for the development, as embodied in the Masterplan was sustainability,defined as "Development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. and which avoids irreparable or long-term damage to the environment."

  • Awards

    Winner, Design over 5ha category, and Highly commended Local landscape planning category, LI Awards 2010

Details

  • Project Team

    Original Masterplan Consultant: Farrells | Ecologists: ESL Ecological Services Ltd |Services and on-site highway engineers: WSP Group Plc | Off site highways and transport engineers: RPS Group Plc | Project Director (1998-2009): Chare Associates | Landscape Maintenance: Tilbrooks Ltd; Pro-Scape Ltd, Cambridgeshire Wildlife Trust

  • Local planning authority or government body

    South Cambridgeshire District Council

  • Year Completed

    2009

  • Project Size

    400ha

  • Additional Information

    Featured case study in the LI's 'Why invest in landscape?' campaign 2011 and the LI's 2012 publication ‘Landscape architecture: a guide for clients’

Technicals

  • Planting

    Site survey and analysis and desk top studies continued to inform the work. Every tree, woodland and hedgerow on the 400 ha site was recorded, measured and assessed. Historical research at Cambridge University threw up details such as traditional woodland boundary treatments and farm pond design features specific to South Cambridgeshire. Working closely with the design teams ecologists, a range of new habitats were designed to enhance the meagre ecological potential of the site. A close working relationship with the scheme's engineers ensured that Cambourne's open spaces could integrate with its future engineering requirements to create a range of truly multi-functional open spaces; what is now referred to as Green Infrastructure.

  • Contractors

    Landscape contractors: Tilbrooks Ltd; Pro-Scape LtdLandscape maintenance: Tilbrooks Ltd; Pro-Scape Ltd,Cambridgeshire Wildlife Trust

  • Randall Thorp LLP

  • Approximate Map Location

    Location

    Cambridgeshire

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