Families have moved into the first of more than 2,000 new affordable homes in Northstowe – homes which were a key part of the plan created by the Conservative administration at South Cambs District Council when the new town was being planned in 2012.

Tim Wotherspoon, County Councillor for Cottenham, Rampton and Willingham, piloted the planning applications through the Northstowe Joint Development Control Committee, of which he was chairman.  “It’s one of my proudest achievements that we secured 41% affordable housing from the first two phases, just exceeding the policy expectation,” he says.

"There are many other calls on the proceeds of development, especially of a standalone new town, such as roads, schools, and community facilities.  But making housing affordable to first-time buyers and young families setting up a home of their own means a lot to me, and I wish the new residents many happy years ahead.”

£750 a month
As part of Northstowe phase one, there will be 300 affordable homes under the management of bpha, the housing association, comprising 180, two and three-bedroom rented houses and 120 shared ownership plots.

Jeff Astle, Development and Sales Director at bpha, said: “Private rents in this area can top £1,000 a month, so the fact we’re able to offer these family homes for just over £750 a month represents good value for money for our new customers.”

“We’re also looking forward to welcoming a number of new homeowners into our shared ownership homes at Northstowe too.  Shared ownership enables purchasers to buy part of their property and rent the remainder from bpha.  Qualifying purchasers require a smaller deposit and the monthly cost of their combined rent and mortgage will be significantly less than had they purchased on the outright market.”

Currently, 140 houses (out of 1,500) and a primary school in Northstowe phase one, seven miles north west of Cambridge, are already built and occupied.

Northstowe phase two
While phase one can be seen to be growing, work on phase two, on the site of the former RAF Oakington barracks, has just started.

It is being led by Homes England, the government’s national housing agency, and will focus on the development of the town centre and immediate surroundings, creating 3,500 new homes, including 1,000 town centre apartments.

40% of the homes will be ‘Northstowe Starter Homes’, designed to help young people get onto the housing ladder.  A further 10% of the new properties will be made available for affordable rent.

Work is already underway to create the transport links needed for the community, including a two and a half mile long access road, a bus-only route through the site linking to the existing Cambridgeshire guided busway and the development of two large ponds to help with drainage on the site, as well as doubling as leisure and ecological hubs for the town.

It is hoped phase two will be completed in 2030, with town centre retail and office space and the potential for small businesses and independent outlets to establish themselves in Northstowe.

Library, schools, employment
There are plans for a new civic centre, which will house a new library and health centre as well as general community space.  A new secondary school is due to open its doors in September 2019.

"The Northstowe Committee took over twelve hours, across two meetings in 2015, to grant permission for Phase 2," said Tim.  It demonstrated how conscientiously councillors took their own role in making a success of the new town.

"The town centre will be the heart and soul of the new community, with all the services and facilities you would expect in a place on the scale of a market town.  And the state-of-the-art education and learning campus will make Northstowe a popular place to study, as well as work, rest and play.

"Fully half the housing in the second phase will be for sale or rent at lower than market rates, mostly in the specific form of Starter Homes which we and Homes England secured earlier this year.

"All proceeds of subsequent sales will be recycled into continuing to make houses available for young families setting up home on their own.  Homes England also intends to provide housing in the town centre geared towards key workers."

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Tim Wotherspoon

Tim Wotherspoon
County Councillor, Cottenham and Willingham division:
         The Three Horseshoes
         Cottenham
         CB24 8SD

Phone
       01954 252 108

E-mail
       timothy.wotherspoon@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

Twitter
       www.twitter.com/timcotramwil

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