THIS IS NOW CLOSED  

Design Code consultation

The design code for Key Phase 1 will set out rules and guidelines which govern the design and style of buildings and public spaces within the area. Key Phase 1 (KP1) is located to the immediate south of Phase 2, in the northern part of Phase 3A, and serves as an important link to the future Northstowe town centre.   

This phase will include: 

• A compact neighbourhood with good access to open space, including a large central open space (Neighbourhood Park). 

• Around 1,660 units of homes at 35-80 dwellings per hectare (dph). 

• A neighbourhood that offers a clear and exciting entrance to the future town centre. 

• A predominately residential space with small pockets of ‘flexible mixed-use zones’, where buildings will be designed to be flexible on ground floors and encourage mixed uses in key locations. 

• A unique water feature called the Runway Lake, which is a key open space that follows the line of the former runway and celebrates Northstowe’s history as an airfield. Homes will overlook both sides of the lake, creating an attractive and lively waterfront. 

• Easy access for walking and cycling, with a network of footpaths and cycle paths along the streets and through open spaces, following key desire lines. 

Who will use the Design Code? 

If approved by the Local Authority, the code will be used by a number of different organisations, including: 

• Homes England, as a tool to promote the development, select and brief preferred development partners, and assess any proposals by housebuilding partners; 

• Development partners, as instructions to inform their design; 

• The community, as information about the development and what they can expect;  

• Council officers and members, as a tool to assess reserved matters applications.   

Who shaped the Design Code to date? 

Following community engagement last year, including an exhibition and drop in at the Western Park Pavilion held in July 2024, we have taken on board comments and have prepared a final draft Design Code document.  

At the previous engagement people were mostly interested in the following issues: 

• Parking and how it would be accommodated 

• Connectivity for cycles and pedestrians and the location of future bus stops 

• Usability and landscape design of Runway Lake, and the ability to move around and across the lake  

• Design of open spaces and their ability to provide access to nature and biodiversity, as well as addressing the windy nature with new tree planting.  

• Sustainability and how the homes can contribute to low-carbon lifestyles 

• Multigenerational design 

   

Each of the above topics has been addressed in the design code with an emphasis on walking and cycling; design that encourages community cohesion and intergenerational activity; guidance on how to orientate buildings; and design roofs to accommodate photovoltaic cells (solar panels); and creating a green, natural neighbourhood that is good for wildlife and people. Parking concerns have also been addressed by offering guidance on how to accommodate private cars, as well as options for potential school drop-off / pick-up. 

The documents consider movement, landscape, and building design, as well as ecology and drainage. For ease of use, we have split the document into several sections: 

Section 1 – Introduction: [LINK TO PDF] 

Section 2 - Site-wide coding: [LINK TO PDF] 

Section 3 - Strategic Design Code: [LINK TO PDF] 

Section 4 - Key places and edges: [LINK TO PDF] 

This consultation has now closed.

Thanks for your comments. We will review feedback, and an updated version of the Design Code will be submitted as a planning application to Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service in May.