The proposals could kickstart a whole innovation ecosystem in Cambridge, including over 4,000 new jobs and 250 homes.
Cambridge Business Park is set to contribute to the planned ecosystem in Northeast Cambridge.
The intention is to provide office and lab spaces for start-ups and established businesses, alongside residential, leisure and cultural community hubs.
Led by The Crown Estate, this mixed-use regeneration project supports the UK government’s focus on global innovation. It builds on The Crown Estate’s recent partnerships with Great British Energy to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy, and with Pioneer Group and Oxford Science Enterprise to deliver a new 100,000sq ft life sciences, technology and innovation space in the heart of Oxford.
As a major national landowner, The Crown Estate aims to invest up to £1.5 billion in the science, technology, and innovation sectors nationally over the next 15 years.
Supported by the creation of a globally significant Innovation District in Northeast Cambridge, the proposals will nurture homegrown skills and enable businesses to scale up in the UK and attract investment.
Cambridge is well-positioned to capitalise on this growth and support investment in innovation.
It is firmly established as Europe’s largest technology cluster, with more than 60,000 people employed by around 5,300 knowledge intensive businesses in the area.1
The Crown Estate’s scheme aims to drive meaningful social, environmental and economic change and tackle urgent global challenges, using its unique combination of assets, customers, and partners.
Initial proposals have already been shared via public consultation.
Dan Labbad, CEO at The Crown Estate, says, “The Crown Estate is investing where it can have the most meaningful impact in addressing areas of national need, meeting local challenges and realising opportunities.
“Our vision for Cambridge Business Park is to create an inclusive and connected place that is industry leading in terms of sustainable and innovative workspace.
“Working with government and our partners, we intend to contribute to the UK’s science, technology and innovation sectors’ success on the global stage, acting as a catalyst for innovation and economic growth, while delivering a community of socially conscious and environmentally focused business leaders.
“We are confident Cambridge Business Park will play a pivotal role not only in enabling SMEs to scale up, but also in connecting and convening the brightest minds and organisations to innovate with impact, and support our wider aims of improving planetary health.”
The Crown Estate has a diverse national footprint, with the unique ability to bring together the public and private sectors, and is designed to act in the long-term national interest. It has identified science, technology and innovation as key sectors where it can have a meaningful impact to support regional economic growth.
The redevelopment of Cambridge Business Park is still in its infancy, with the new masterplan in very early stages of design and consultation.
The site currently comprises 12 buildings across 20 acres, providing around 325,000 sq ft of commercial office space.
The developing masterplan intends to create a thriving and biodiverse destination comprising a mix of retail and leisure spaces, a brand-new high street, ‘science on show’ focused lab buildings and office space and homes.
Central to proposals will be a ‘no borders’ ethos through the opening up of the site, creating improved accessibility and connectivity to Cambridge North station and surrounding science parks, as well as opportunities for young people and the local community to enjoy the facilities and access STEM focused educational opportunities.
Subject to planning, construction at Cambridge Business Park is anticipated to begin in 2026 through a phased approach, with the new site open and operational by 2030.
