Northstowe - the building site just down the road
The story so far: a new town with 10,000 homes for 25,000 people is to be built on our doorstep, mainly on the former Oakington airfield, effectively linking Oakington and Longstanton. The original plan was for infrastructure building to start in early 2008 with the first houses later that year. The recession slowed progress but late in 2011 something is again stiring. This link will take you to the latest information on the project: www.northstowe.uk.com, where your views are being sought by the developers before the end of October 2011. The latest suggestion is that the development should take place in phases - phase one with planning applications early in 2012, then phase 2 and a load more later phases.
Below are earlier links to information about Northstowe as the story has unfolded.
- This link will take you to a Feb 2010 general update on the project and this link will take you to a mid Feb 2010 update, both from Councillor John Reynolds.
- The new town sits on the route of the Mis-guided Busway, the opening of which was itself delayed until 2011. This is a transport system which is intended to relieve pressure on the A14 road by connecting Huntingdon and Cambridge.
- www.northstowe.net and www.northstowe.co.uk are two sites that are as interesting as their subject.
- Cambridgeshire Horizons is the body set up by the local authorities to manage the planning controls for this and other local delights. Here's their latest news on the project. South Cambs District Councillor Dr David Bard (Sawston) has his finger on the pulse representing South Cambs on the Cambridgeshire Horizons Board. Three local councils convinced the government that they can manage the planning of the site
- 2007 - Northstowe is to be even bigger than was originally proposed
- Gallagher Estates positive spin on building a "sustainable and innovative market town" on our doorstep. Here's a form to contact them with your views
- South Cambs District Council - safeguarding all our interests with the Northstowe Area Action Plan. Planning applications being considered by South Cambs District Council.
- Cambridgeshire County Council have a right of way project for Northstowe
- The mis-guided busway gets planning consent despite the proposals for a railway on the route by Cast Iron. Watch their propaganda movie on YouTube
- Watch the County Council propoganda film on the mis-guided busway
- English Partnerships doing the financial deal on the site
- Northstowe fails to become one of the new government backed eco towns in July 2009, but bounces back into a second list in December 2009
- Google Satellite picture of the area before development