One of England’s largest brownfield sites will be acquired by government and brought forward for development as the Chancellor drives the next phase of delivery across the Oxford to Cambridge Growth Corridor.
Cambridge East, made up of the former Cambridge Airport site, is bigger than King’s Cross and the Olympic Park combined and will play a central role in transforming the east of the city – creating new homes, jobs and opportunities for local people. The site has been earmarked for development for almost 20 years but progress on has been limited. By being the first government to intervene in the site, past rhetoric of supercharging growth in the region can now be made into reality.
The announcement is part of a day of major milestones for the Oxford to Cambridge Growth Corridor, including a new Development Corporation for Greater Cambridge. Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said: “Within the Oxford to Cambridge Growth Corridor, we’re unlocking a major new growth site in Cambridge – delivering homes, jobs and opportunity, and giving one of our world-leading innovation regions the foundations to grow.
“We have the right economic plan - one that backs Britain’s regions, turns potential into progress and ensures the industries of the future are built here.” Housing Secretary Steve Reed said: “Cambridge East will become exactly the type of new community this country is crying out for – thousands of new homes to help people get a foot on the housing ladder, backed up with good jobs, modern transport links and beautiful green spaces.
“It is a great example of how this government is committed to ending the cycle of homes coming first and services catching up years later.” As part of her speech at the Creating a Scientific Superpower conference in London, the Chancellor confirmed funding, subject to business case approval, for a new eastern entrance at Bletchley station, helping the town fully capitalise on the opportunities of East West Rail. The investment will strengthen links between the station and the town centre, improve door-to-door journeys for passengers, and ensure local communities benefit from new rail services as they come online.
The announcement is part of a day of major milestones for the Oxford to Cambridge Growth Corridor, including a new Development Corporation for Greater Cambridge. The acquisition by Homes England, in partnership with the Hill Group, will help meet urgent demand for homes, commercial space and jobs in the region, with the site capable of supporting more than 10,000 new homes and up to 3 million square feet of employment space. To be developed alongside the Cambridge Growth Company, planning for the site will give local people the opportunity to shape its future, including the potential to deliver new cultural and sports facilities alongside high-quality homes and workplaces.
Cambridge East is the most significant single site to be brought forward within the Oxford to Cambridge Growth Corridor to date, demonstrating the government's ability to move from ambition to delivery at scale. This intervention brings together land, funding and planning to accelerate delivery in a way not previously possible – a step change in how government works with partners to unblock complex sites and turn ambition into action. It comes alongside plans confirmed today to establish a Greater Cambridge Development Corporation, giving the region the powers and certainty it needs to deliver thousands of new homes, jobs and vital infrastructure.
The announcements build on nearly £800 million already committed to kickstarting development around Cambridge and Oxford – increasing the supply of affordable homes, upgrading transport links and creating greener, better-connected communities.
