Railpen and development partner Ridgelift have secured full planning consent for a 157,000 sq ft six-storey Grade A office building in the city.

The March 5 meeting of Cambridge City Council’s planning committee approved the developers’ plans for 230 Newmarket Road along with 10,000 sq ft of retail and leisure space in a separate single-storey building adjacent to the office.

The office building, designed by Leonard Design Architects, holds a prominent position on a major thoroughfare into Cambridge. It has been conceived as a multi-occupier headquarters building, providing exemplary quality and amenities.

The ground floor contains a large reception area and extensive cycling and end-of-trip facilities, with space for 438 bikes.

The first floor includes an elevated lobby café and offices, with the floors offering flexible configuration to reflect varied occupier requirements.

The top floor features two pavilion-style office spaces designed for co-working, both opening onto an inside-outside terrace. Externally, the consent includes a new carpark with 45 spaces, 26 with EV charging.

Railpen aims for BREEAM Outstanding and at least 20 per cent biodiversity net gain. The design follows the principles of the London Energy Transformation Initiative (LETI) and RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge, with targets including net zero enabled in operation, low embodied carbon and a limited energy operation.

It is intended as a gateway to Railpen’s proposed one million sq ft Beehive, which will blend modern workspace, retail, leisure, entertainment and community spaces, and is currently going through planning, along with proposals to enhance the neighbouring Cambridge Retail Park through the introduction of new retail and leisure.

Together, the developments will create a new business district in Cambridge.

Matthew Howard, head of property for Railpen, said: “We’re delighted with the council’s decision to grant consent for 230 Newmarket Road, with the development adding to the quality of offices available to accommodate growth in a world-leading city for innovation.

“As importantly, it is the first stage of a new business district for the city that will bring more long-term employment and prosperity to one of the UK’s most important economic areas.”

© Eastern Echo (powered by ukpropertyforums.com).

Sign up to receive our weekly free journal, The Forum here.