Wintringham is the biggest mixed-use development in St Neots, featuring 2,800 new homes and up to 63,000sqm of employment space, while approximately 45% of the development will be green space.
The first phase of the development will provide up to 1,650 homes, one of two new primary schools opening in September 2020, 17 acres of land for commercial use and a new district centre offering a restaurant, nursery, convenience store and an incubator building for small businesses. In response to local feedback, plans for a pub are also being developed.
Morris Homes will be the first housebuilder to offer new homes at Wintringham, launching in February, with CALA Homes expected to launch its own range of homes in April.
Meanwhile, this September the Wintringham Primary Academy is set to open, with construction well underway. The Academy will operate as a Forest School, run by the Diamond Learning Trust, fostering outdoor education and learning principles. At its centre will be an outside space surrounded by glass for students to play and learn in.
Urban&Civic has consciously designed Wintringham so that it will offer a pedestrian and cyclefriendly environment, promoting sustainability and wellbeing. Pocket parks will be placed at the heart of each residential area, creating landscaped green spaces between the new housing. A central north-south linear park will run throughout the whole development, bringing together other green spaces, and the development will provide a range of cycle paths and walkways.
St Neots is ideally located for access to many surrounding towns, and new residents will benefit from the area’s extensive road and rail connections. Bus stops will be located at key locations throughout Wintringham, and new homes will not be more than 400 metres from a bus stop, whilst the new community is a 10 minute walk from St Neots train station.
The town is rapidly expanding thanks to its strategic position on the main London-Edinburgh train line and the A1 and A428 road network. It is undergoing significant regeneration and investment: in 2019 the Government named St Neots as one of 50 areas shortlisted to benefit from the £1 billion Future High Streets Fund, whilst the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority has unveiled an ambitious Masterplan for Growth, which details an investment strategy to accelerate growth and value in the town. The masterplan also aims to establish St Neots as the first Smart Town in the country.
Despite this widespread regeneration and investment, St Neots still offers excellent value for money compared to neighbouring towns, with average house prices 41% less expensive than Cambridge1, just 18 miles away.
Commenting, Tim Leathes from Urban&Civic said: “We’re very excited to have reached this major milestone at Wintringham. These new homes from Morris and CALA offer house hunters the first chance to be a part of our vision, whilst Wintringham Primary Academy will officially open later this year. Wintringham is ideally placed to benefit from all that St Neots has to offer, and the area offers excellent value for money compared to many nearby towns. Work continues in earnest as we construct key elements of the first phase, including the new district centre, which will open later this year.”
For more information visit www.wintringham.org