Lab building deferred due to councillors' concerns

Kadans Science Partner’s plans to demolish 2,730 sq m of offices for a 13,096 sq m laboratory building have deferred.

A joint October 18 meeting of Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council sent the developer back to the drawing board.

The scheme in Milton Road included 4,648 sq m of offices, a café, which would be open to the public, and parking for 45 cars and 313 cycle parking spaces.

The developer argued the scheme would provide up to 800 jobs and 40 per cent of those would be below degree level.

But Cllrs Katie Porrer and Katie Thornburrow were unimpressed by the plans.

Cllr Porrer said the building was backwards with its entrance for pedestrians and cyclists was to be shared with cars, while Cllr Thornburrow said she was concerned about the lack of external space for employees.

Cllr Anna Bradnam asked the developer to reconsider the plans to try to keep more of the trees on the site. A deferment was approved by six votes to five.

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