The reimagined East Barnwell comes to life

Carter Jonas’ award-winning regeneration scheme shows how densification, done well, can meet housing targets, enhance wellbeing and avoid overreliance on the Green Belt.

Planning and Development InSite discussed the success of the project with John Mason, Associate and Emily Grapes, Senior Planner, both in Carter Jonas’ Cambridge office.

Urban regeneration in action

At the East Prop Awards in June, the East Barnwell regeneration project in Cambridge was named Future Project of the Year. For Carter Jonas’ Cambridge team, who have worked on the scheme since 2019, the recognition is more than an accolade – it is a timely demonstration of how considered urban regeneration can deliver social, economic and environmental value.

A counterpoint to Green Belt dependence

The award arrives at a significant moment in national planning discourse. Media attention has increasingly focused on development in the Green Belt, and the ‘Grey Belt’ is often framed as the primary route to meeting the government’s 1.5 million homes target.

But the attention given to the Grey Belt risks overlooking the important role of inner-city regeneration. Carter Jonas research carried out last year identified some significant challenges to building on the Green Belt, not least access, landownership, and the fact that 21% of Green Belt land nationally is covered by additional environmental designations. In Cambridge, the availability of Grey Belt developable land is especially limited and fragmented.

With the city’s population of 150,000 forecast to potentially double by 2050, regeneration of underused urban areas becomes not just desirable but necessary.

A long-awaited transformation

East Barnwell, in Cambridge’s Abbey Ward, has long been identified as an area in need of investment. “It’s the most deprived ward in the city,” explains Emily. “And despite being earmarked for regeneration since the 2006 Local Plan, meaningful change hadn’t happened until now.”

Carter Jonas was appointed by Cambridge City Council to deliver a regeneration framework for East Barnwell, which was completed in 2019.

The neighbourhood, characterised by low-density suburban housing and poor connectivity, is also home to Cambridge United’s stadium, Coldham’s Common and Abbey Leisure Centre.

Demographically, East Barnwell contrasts sharply with the rest of Cambridge. Only 41% of homes are owner-occupied, with 28% council-owned and let. Foodbank use is the second highest in the city and just 54% of residents are in full-time employment.

Working with the Council, Carter Jonas shaped a framework with three core aims: increase housing provision, enhance community and leisure facilities, and improve connectivity – particularly by prioritising active travel and open space.

Designing for density

In June 2024, planning permission was granted unanimously for the redevelopment of two sites on either side of Barnwell Road. The £50m scheme replaces ageing shops, flats and underused green spaces with 120 affordable council homes, a new community centre, library, pre-school, café and commercial premises, a landscaped central square and park and 92 new trees.

“This is a major uplift in density,” says Emily. “The number of homes on the consented sites within the masterplan has increased from 18 to 120, all of which are affordable housing. The houses come in a range of sizes and include four designed for residents with disabilities. 90% are dual aspect and they are gas-free, with air source heat pumps, MVHR ventilation, green roofs and solar panels. The scheme also achieves 20% biodiversity net gain – double the proportion required in national policy.

“The existing buildings are two-storey, have a poor relationship with the street and are surrounded by low quality green space and parking. The new buildings, in contrast, are up to six storeys high, and have all the attributes of a local centre, also creating a visual landmark in the surrounding area.”

Public realm and social infrastructure

Crucially, the scheme reorganises underused open spaces into a central, more attractive and functional park – replacing low-quality peripheral greenspace with a coherent, safe and connected landscape. “Due to the increased density of housing, we had to work harder with less space,” says John. “But what we’ve provided is much more usable and inviting.”

The redevelopment also addresses a less visible challenge: social infrastructure. “Abbey Ward is the only ward in Cambridge with no pub,” says Emily. “The community centre will help fill that gap – providing a place for social interaction, which is a necessity in community-building.

“The new community centre is deliberately multi-functional, which ties into a council policy to rationalise provision into larger, more flexible facilities.”

Delivery through partnership

The scheme has been brought forward by Cambridge Investment Partnership (CIP), a collaboration between Cambridge City Council and The Hill Group. It is one of a number of successful projects that Carter Jonas has delivered as planning advisor for CIP.

“This partnership model works because it blends public and private sector strengths,” says John. “The Council knows its tenants and communities, Hill brings development delivery and Carter Jonas provides the technical and planning expertise.”

Notably, CIP’s projects, including East Barnwell, have consistently achieved planning consent first time. This is partly due to the emphasis on engagement. Consultation on East Barnwell began in 2019 and was considerable, utilising workshops, drop-ins, local business meetings and wider stakeholder communications. The planning application took on board feedback about interim commercial arrangements and the impact on open space, with detailed strategies secured by condition.

Built-in sustainability

East Barnwell is notable not only for its social infrastructure and housing delivery but for the embedded sustainability of the scheme. In addition to energy-efficient homes, the development promotes active travel with new cycle routes, reduced parking provision and well-designed pedestrian crossings.

“The internal layout really prioritises walking and cycling,” says John. “It supports the vision of a 15-minute city – where residents can reach local facilities within a short distance. There’s a growing recognition that 15-minute cities reduce car dependency, boost health outcomes and create stronger communities, and this scheme is a great example of those principles in action.”

Lessons in densification

Densification is a key theme in East Barnwell, responding to recent changes in planning policy. Paragraph 125 of the revised NPPF states that local authorities should optimise the use of land and include minimum density standards for areas well-served by public transport. It states that planning authorities are expected to pursue ‘significant uplifts in density,’ particularly in town and city centres, and to demonstrate that they have fully considered these options before proposing changes to Green Belt boundaries. In this context, East Barnwell becomes a textbook example of how to make better use of underutilised land within the urban fabric.

“To some – including some members of the previous government – there is a preconceived view that densification and good placemaking are incompatible,” says John. “East Barnwell proves otherwise. By planning well, you can increase housing numbers, improve design, and meet sustainability goals all at once. Through infill, repurposing low-value space and reconfiguring outdated sites, densification supports sustainable growth while preserving the environmental and strategic purpose of Green Belt land.

“Densification also improves the commercial viability of schemes. More homes mean more footfall for local businesses and more support for community facilities. That, in turn, improves the long-term success of a regeneration project.

“And there is scope for increased density in Cambridge, which is apparently just 15 dwellings per hectare (dph), compared to 55 dph in Camden and 75 in Islington.”

Planning ahead for future challenges

The scheme is also forward-looking. Recent figures show that city primary schools throughout the country are at risk of closure, largely due to an urban exodus linked to housing costs – and this risks being a factor in Cambridge.

Affordable family housing in city centres has become necessary to stabilise pupil numbers, as well as to retain key workers and the staff necessary to support future economic growth. By making a significant investment in affordable housing in East Barnwell, Cambridge is mitigating a future problem and preparing for its future expansion.

Conclusion: regeneration done right

East Barnwell provides a necessary balance to any assumption that housing targets can be met primarily through Green Belt release. The emerging scheme shows that, with the right partnerships, technical expertise and political will, urban regeneration can deliver affordable, sustainable housing in a way that restores existing communities.

Regeneration, and densification specifically, if done well, is a crucial part of the solution to Britain’s housing crisis. East Barnwell not only meets today’s needs but anticipates tomorrow’s. That is what makes it worthy of recognition.