LOCAL MP GETS HIS FIRST LOOK AT CAMBRIDGESHIRE’S NEW TOWN

South Cambridgeshire’s MP Anthony Browne experienced Northstowe for the first time last week on a tour of the new town, hosted by the local housebuilders and project leads behind this major development.

Five years since construction began, Mr Browne was able to see first-hand the homes, amenities and community facilities being established in Northstowe, whilst also finding out more about the future plans.

The visit began with an introduction from Homes England and L&Q Estates, Northstowe’s master developers, where Mr Browne also met representatives from the housebuilding consortium including Barratt Homes, Bovis Homes, David Wilson Homes, Domovo Homes, Linden Homes, Taylor Wimpey Homes.

The housebuilders were able to demonstrate to Mr Browne their collective support for the Northstowe community, beyond building new homes. For example, in December 2019, the housebuilders funded a community Christmas tree and carol signing event and in February, helped to welcome Northstowe’s 500th resident with a celebratory welcome gift to mark this important milestone. More recently, the housebuilders launched a dedicated community fund to support the development of local groups and organisations, whilst building a lasting legacy that will benefit everyone connected to the project now and in the future.

The tour took Mr Browne through Phase 1 , visiting the Local Centre Square ( The Green) , Pathfinder Primary School, and viewing the Formal Park before heading  towards the development’s second phase where he was able to see the progress made at Northstowe Secondary College and hear more about plans for the innovative town centre, which will focus on enterprise, education and leisure.

On his visit, Anthony Browne MP said: “I was delighted to be able to visit the site, and I am pleased to see the emphasis on community facilities such as Northstowe Secondary College. I shall be watching the continuing development of the High Street with great interest.

“During my visit, I highlighted the need for engagement with the new and existing communities, as well as the importance of the environmental impact – ensuring quality of life for new residents while providing homes that meet the highest standards in terms of build quality and sustainability.

“I was therefore glad to hear of the innovative affordable housing projects on the site, delivering on one of the Government’s key housing priorities. It is also encouraging to see that some of the homes will be available for people using the Government’s Help to Buy scheme, which has already helped local residents to achieve their aspirations of having the security and stability of owning their own homes.”

Mike Golding, Project Director for Northstowe at Homes England, said: “It was a pleasure to show Anthony Browne MP the significant progress that is being made at Northstowe and the vision for the town.  Homes England is proud to have worked with all our partners to help deliver early facilities such as the secondary and SEN schools.  We are now pushing on to create high-quality new homes and neighbourhoods for Northstowe.”

The visit also presented an opportunity for Mr Browne to see the measures put in place at Northstowe to ensure the health and safety of site workers, staff and customers, following the Covid-19 pandemic.

On behalf of the housebuilders at Northstowe, Adam Knight, Managing Director at David Wilson Homes said: “We were delighted to welcome Anthony Browne MP to Northstowe for the first time, particularly now that the housing market is back open and we can demonstrate how the new homes here are meeting the needs of people from across the region.

“Being part of Northstowe’s growth is something that all the housebuilders are extremely proud of. We look forward to welcoming more residents to the community as plans for this new town progress.”

Stuart Field, Associate Planning Director at L&Q Estates adds: “We’re proud to show Anthony Browne MP first-hand how Phase 1 has evolved from the initial concept plans and vision to one of reality, and how much community infrastructure had already been developed in such a short space of time.  This is an exciting time for Northstowe, and we’re proud to continue to be playing a key part in its growth.”