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‘World class’ science district off Coldhams Lane to be created and will open lakes at Burnside

18:28, 07 October 2024

A ‘world class’ 23-acre science district will be created on a former landfill site in Cambridge after councillors approved the scheme.

The plans include 1,000,000 sq ft of office and laboratory space across seven buildings and the opening up of lakes at Burnside, which are currently closed to the public.

Concerns had been raised about the potential health risks of building on the site, off Coldhams Lane, but planners said measures had been proposed by the developer, Mission Street, to make sure it was safe.

Mission Street and BGO get go-ahead for 23-acre central Cambridge science district, off Coldhams Lane in Cambridge
Mission Street and BGO get go-ahead for 23-acre central Cambridge science district, off Coldhams Lane in Cambridge

Dishone Lloyd, 16, from Essex, died at the lakes in August after getting into difficulty in the water.

At the time of his death, local residents complained that their concerns about people getting onto the private land had not been listened to.

The planning documents for the development said two of the lakes would be opened to the public as part of plans for it to become an “urban country park, in an area where accessible open space is in short supply”.

Permission for the development was given unanimously, despite concerns raised by the Environment Agency over contamination at the site. The developer has been given conditions to adhere to and will contribute Section 106 money, which is to be spent on local facilities.

The plans to “create a globally significant science destination that fully integrates with its neighbourhood and transforms Cambridge lives” were put forward by BGO Newton Propco Limited/Mission Street. They say it will create 4,000 jobs once complete.

The path and cycleway known as The Tins will be widened to make it easier for people to get to the site by bike. There will be a pedestrianised square and a children’s play area.

An artist-in-residence will be employed and there will be a STEM-based educational outreach partnership with the Cambridge Science Centre.

Artem Korolev, chief executive of Mission Street, said: “Since our first consultation with local stakeholders and the Cherry Hinton community, we’ve said that this is about breaking down the barriers prevalent with traditional science parks, creating an open and inviting innovation district, and putting the science on show.

The developer described the planning decision as a “significant step forward for the UK’s aspirations to be a ‘science superpower’.”

The application for the development was recommended for approval by planning officers at Cambridge City Council.

They recognised that a recent report found there was no longer an undersupply of wet lab space up to 2030, but said there was still a shortfall in “smaller scale-up space provision” and said there was likely to remain a shortfall in wet lab commitments overall to 2041.

A report to the council’s planning meeting last Thursday said: “As a result, officers note that there is no longer an undersupply in the total amount of lab space in the short term, but that this proposal will help meet the shorter-term shortfall for smaller scale-up provision, as well as helping provide a flexible supply overall.”

Concerns about the new science park had been raised with more than 100 objections being formally lodged against it.

Many people shared fears about potential health impacts of building on top of an old landfill.

Mission Street and BGO get go-ahead for 23-acre central Cambridge science district, off Coldhams Lane in Cambridge
Mission Street and BGO get go-ahead for 23-acre central Cambridge science district, off Coldhams Lane in Cambridge

One objector said: “Building on the landfill sites is a truly terrible idea, this site is extremely toxic and should not be disturbed.”

Another objector said: “The land on which it has been proposed to build was a landfill in the past and an unknown amount of toxic pollutants may be still held under the surface.

“Any disturbance to the area could cause these to surface and cause long-term damage to the families of Cherry Hinton, as well as to local wildlife and plants.”

However, planning officers said they believed the measures proposed by the developer and the planning conditions proposed would ensure it was safe.

They said: “Officers consider the applicant’s extensive and ongoing assessment of contamination risks and its proposed remediation, ground improvement and foundation strategies to minimise and mitigate construction and post-construction risks provide a satisfactory and competent basis upon which planning permission can be given.

“The use of planning conditions and Section 106 obligations are considered reasonable and necessary to ensure that there would be no adverse environmental or human health impacts to future users of the site, surrounding occupiers or controlled waters.”

Concerns were also shared about the potential risks of opening the lakes up to the public as part of the new urban country park.

One person said: “Opening the Burnside Lakes to the public – they are too deep and steeply-sided to be made publicly accessible, as a recent tragic death has made all too clear.”

Another person added that the lakes were “beautiful”, but said they were “dangerous” and “should be left for wildlife”.

The resident said: “It would be lovely as a local resident to have access to walk around the lake without more buildings and traffic, but the recent tragic drowning highlights it’s not safe there.”

Officers said a “comprehensive” management plan for the country park would need to be created and approved by councillors before it was opened to the public.

They added that this plan would need to include “a robust consideration of health and safety measures, reflecting on known issues associated with unauthorised swimming in the lakes and the tragic recent death of a young person”.

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