Agenda item

Approx: 15:00 – 16:00

Site Context:

The site is currently in use as a retail park and features a range of retail operators undertaking a mix of convenience / comparison retail, and food and drink (with takeaway), leisure and community uses including: Wren, TKMax, Asda, M&S Food, Porcelanosa, Hobbycraft, Pets at Home, Everlast gym fitness club, Gymfinity Creche, Costa Coffee and Subway. The retail park is served with 885 car parking spaces with a vehicle access from Coldhams Lane.

The site is not subject to any policy designations within the Cambridge Local Plan 2018. However, some of the existing uses provide important facilities for surrounding residents and those in the wider City. The site adjoins the Mill Road Conservation Area, and is outside of but in proximity to the Eastern Gate Opportunity Area.

The site is identified as an Opportunity Area within the Emerging Draft Greater Cambridge Local Plan. Policy SO/A/BC states that “The New Opportunity Area proposed is low density, large-scale retail uses with extensive surface car parking. This does not make very good use of an expansive area of land in the heart of Cambridge. With changes in retailing and the increase in online shopping, when taken together with the Local Plan themes of addressing climate change and creating Great Places, these sites have the potential to provide a significant opportunity for reimagining this area close to the heart of Cambridge”.

Proposal Description:  

The proposals comprise redevelopment of the site to create a business district for technology and life science sectors. Office / laboratory / research and development floorspace proposed on upper floors, with ground floor uses including retail, restaurant, and community uses to provide active frontages.

The proposals are currently in outline form and comprise a series of development blocks ranging in height within a network of connected streets, spaces and public realm.

Vehicle access to the site is proposed from Coldham’s Lane and a car parking barn is proposed with the centre of the site, leaving remaining streets for pedestrian / cycle / servicing access only. Pedestrian / cycle accesses into the site are proposed to be retained from Sleaford Street, York Street and St Matthews Gardens. Landscape proposals intend to create a range of public space character areas including: wetlands, biodiversity enhancement / tree planting, community food growing / orchards, play on the way, public activity / performance space, as well as facilitating the proposed Chisholm Trail cycle route through the site.

The proposals also include a sustainability vision for the site which aims to address main issues around climate change, biodiversity, health and wellbeing. Buildings are intended to achieve BREEAM ‘excellent’ as a minimum with potential for some to achieve BREEAM ‘outstanding’.    

Planning History:

The current Beehive Centre was granted planning permission in 1992 (ref: C/92/0324). Since this consent there has been a number of applications for signage, merger / splitting of retail units, installation of mezzanine floorspace, installation of plant and machinery, and planning applications / Certificate of Lawfulness / S106 deed of variation applications to confirm or change the range of retail goods permitted for sale.

Background:         

The proposals are at pre-application stage. A Planning Performance Agreement (PPA) was agreed between the applicants and GCSP in February 2022. The PPA includes an estimated project timetable with pre-application discussions in 2022 with submission of a planning application in 2023. A series of public consultation events have taken place in July 2022, and further events are planned throughout the pre-application process. The proposals were presented to the Design Review Panel in June 2022.