Eddington Sustainable Community

The Eddington Sustainable Community is a sustainable, long-lasting and ambitious new area of Cambridge, designed to ensure a high quality of life for its residents. Gillespies was commissioned to develop the landscape design for the phase 2 infrastructure, building on the principles established in the masterplan by Aecom and implemented phase 1 work.

Promoting active transport and reducing the need to travel
The design encourages active forms of transport, with walking, cycling, and public transport prioritised. This is achieved via a dedicated pedestrian and cycle ‘Ridgway spine’, a wider network of bike and pedestrian paths and 1.2km of the primary street containing integrated cycle lanes, wide verges, and traffic-calming designs. Priority has also been given to cyclists at secondary road junctions to further encourage and prioritise cycle usage over cars.

The provision of 2.6ha of community allotments and a sports hub with 3G and grass pitches within the neighbourhood centre reduces both travel by car and the need to travel for sport and leisure.

Sustainable drainage and water management
The development features the largest grey water recycling system in the country, with water recycled through cleansing lagoons for non-potable use. The lagoons also help to reduce the risk of localised flooding by attenuating water and providing a vital amenity in the new ecological parklands.

Substantial ecological parklands along the western edge of the development deliver five ‘green fingers’ with integrated swales and shallow gravel-filled planted rain gardens to connect back into the development. The ‘green fingers’ will ultimately perform as multi‐functional linear parks, creating healthy, accessible green spaces rather than being primarily focussed on drainage.

Biodiversity Gain
Gillespies worked closely with the client’s ecologist to incorporate target habitats and wildlife features. In addition, a more habitat-based perennial planting style was proposed for the residential areas, with mixes of hardy perennials in a gravel mulch to reduce water loss from the soil.

The use of large tree species has been incorporated where possible, particularly along the primary street, to increase overall canopy cover in the city. The design included as much species diversity as possible to guard against wholesale loss through pathogens and climate change.

Minimisation of waste
A soil management strategy, developed with input from soil scientists Tim O’Hare Associates, has been a key component to reduce waste. This minimised off-site waste, re‐used existing resources, and designed plant typologies suitable for the existing soils.