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Waterbeach New Town East

At Waterbeach New Town East, to the north of Cambridge, we are designing a place which challenges the dominance of the car and promotes a holistic vision of health and wellbeing. A relocated train station and peripheral car parking will help free up space for pedestrians and cyclists and improve air quality and safety, while encouraging social interaction and outdoor activity. The vision is of a space that combines the best of urban and rural – where you can access everything you need without driving but still enjoy green open spaces and a sense of community. 

Location

  • Cambridgeshire, UK

Client

  • Waterbeach Development Company

Project Status

  • Complete

Cambridge is one of the fastest growing cities in the UK. To accommodate the anticipated growth, Waterbeach New Town is planned to provide over 10,000 new homes within easy reach of the city. But the local road network is already under pressure with increasing delays and congestion, and local authorities are keen to see sustainable growth, which helps reduce car travel into the city center by encouraging active modes of transportation. 

We worked with developer Waterbeach Development Company and master planners LDA Design to create a future-ready development which minimizes private vehicle use, encouraging people to cycle or walk instead. As well as decreasing congestion and improving air quality, our plan promotes health and wellbeing by making roads safer, encouraging people to stay active, and fostering a sense of community. 

We are putting the car at a lower level in the hierarchy in people's minds, and making the journey by bike, on foot, or by public transport quicker so people find it is more convenient to leave their car at home
Paula Cuthbertson Associate, Transport Planning, WSP in the UK

Taking on the car

Placing the relocated railway station at the heart of the development, within easy walking distance for most households, is key to providing more people with a realistic choice to commute by train. Within the New Town, we’ve designed a future bus network that will put 90% of homes within five minutes’ walk of a bus stop, and placed schools, shops and other vital amenities in locations easily reached on foot or by bike. We have created walkable streets and prioritized cycle access throughout. Secure car parking will sit on the corners of high-density neighborhoods, which means people will be as close to a bus stop as their car – an innovative engineering solution to a perennial suburban problem.  

Of course, we recognize cars cannot be eliminated entirely and some people will need vehicles for essential journeys. However, the overall intention is to reduce the car’s primacy and make other options equally accessible so the decision to drive is no longer the default. 

Prioritising active travel reduces community severance from busy roads, improving health opportunities for residents whilst creating a place which can pride itself on its livable streets
 Peter Walsh Health Impact Assessor, WSP in the UK

A sense of community

Making vehicles a less dominant part of the visual landscape creates space for people to move around, socialize and play. Studies show that on streets with lighter traffic, people are more likely to know and talk to each other, which creates a feeling of belonging and helps with social cohesion. Fewer cars also means less pollution, less noise, and a safer environment for walking and cycling. 

The model we are proposing at Waterbeach helps support our vision of a place where you can access everything you need daily without needing to drive. At the same time, residents will be able to enjoy ample green, public space – one of the main benefits of living outside of a city center. 

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