Planning approval has been granted for 425 new homes on brownfield railway land in the Cambridge North Residential Quarter.

Approval was granted to Network Rail’s property development company, Platform4, by Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council for 425 new high-quality build-to-rent homes, along with parks, community spaces and amenities.

The development is being led by blocwork, which is a joint venture between Platform4 and Network Rail’s partnership developer bloc ltd., with funding from Grainger plc., the UK’s largest listed residential landlord, which will also manage the development once it is complete.

Publicly-owned brownfield land will be unlocked by the scheme, which is one of four developments highlighted when Platform4 was launched last November.

A housing mix will include one, two, and three-bedroom apartments, parks, retail spaces, and tree-lined streets, and will prioritise pedestrian and cycle access.

Richard Thomas, Director for bloc Ltd, commented that securing planning approval was a real milestone for the project, and reflects the strength of the design and how it fits into the wider Cambridge North Masterplan.

The scheme forms the next phase of the Cambridge North Masterplan, which already includes a 217-room hotel and commercial property accommodating retail and prestige occupiers including Samsung, and will broaden housing choice in this part of Cambridge through the Cambridge North Masterplan.

Approval for the development is in line with the government’s new National Planning Policy Framework that there will be a default ‘yes’ for homes within reasonable walking distance of well-connected stations.

In June, a new station opened on the other side of Cambridge at Cambridge South.

Also in June, Greater Anglia, which operates services to Cambridge’s stations, celebrated the benefits of public transport, shared transport, walking, wheeling, and cycling in gaining access to jobs, education, healthcare, leisure, and local services.

“This is great news and the positive decision allows us to bring under-used railway land into active use. Cambridge North is a great example of supporting the Government’s commitment to building more homes next to stations as we look to create a new community in one of the country’s most dynamic cities.”

Andrew Ferguson, Interim CEO, Platform4 and Director of blocwork