The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) has appointed Proctor and Matthews Architects and Tibbalds Planning and Urban Design to provide long-term planning support and architectural services for Northstowe, Phase 2, a Cambridgeshire town designed for 21st century, sustainable living.
Northstowe, one of the government’s Healthy New Towns, will encourage residents to lead more active lifestyles and use public transport through a more sustainable and inclusive design.
Drawing experience from the UK’s historical and thriving market towns, plans for Northstowe will incorporate the elements that make them a success while accommodating 21st century needs, such as spaces for bikes, bins, parking and facilities that address today’s community and health issues.
Proctor and Matthews Architects, supported by the Tibbalds CampbellReith JV, will produce the detailed design for the initial parcel of 380 homes, the first homes to be delivered by the HCA. These homes will cater for a range of living needs; from starter and young family homes to high-quality urban family housing and homes for the elderly and those who require extra care.
The aim for Northstowe is to become a town with depth of character and that maintains a healthy environment for people to enjoy active living, one that is playful, sustainable and will stand the test of time. The town will also be developed to age gracefully and flexible enough to adapt as retail, work and living behaviours and patterns change.
Georgina Bignold, Associate Director, said: “Proctor and Matthews Architects are delighted to be working alongside Tibbalds to design the first residential parcel of the second phase at Northstowe. It is an opportunity to create a vibrant 21st century sustainable new town with a distinctive local identity, and to meet the HCA’s requirement for high quality design to set the benchmark for the wider development.”
Terry Fuller, General Manager of HCA Strategic Land said: “These appointments are a real milestone in the growth of Northstowe. Not only will they help to deliver much-needed housing, but just as importantly, they will also deliver the high-quality design that will make Northstowe a vibrant and successful community for the 21st century.”
Katja Stille, Associate Director, Tibbalds Planning and Urban Design, said: “Northstowe will be one of the most significant developments created over the next decade. The homes we provide will represent the diversity of life that makes a full and prosperous town; homes where you can grow up as a child, move into as a young couple, start a family and evolve as the town evolves. Our aim is to create a sustainable, flexible and aesthetic place that caters for all living aspirations and deliver a town for the future.”
The HCA anticipates to deliver the first of the scheme’s 3,500 homes in 2019 and commence the town centre and future phases shortly after.
