A new kind of neighbourhood is coming to Northstowe: tell us what you think
Plans are taking shape for a new neighbourhood in the heart of Northstowe, near the Learning Community next to where the town centre will be- and we’d love to hear your thoughts.
📸 Credit: Mole Architects
TOWN is the latest developer to work with Homes England. They are a small, experienced developer with a track record of creating distinctive, community-focused places. This includes Marmalade Lane in Cambridge, the UK’s first developer-led cohousing project. They are now working with Homes England and leading housebuilder The Hill Group to create a new neighbourhood of around 145 homes, including two new cohousing communities, designed with and for the people who will live in them.
The neighbourhood will offer a mix of homes for sale and rent, including affordable housing, and will focus on quality of life, sustainability and community connection. Plans include a car-free play street at the centre, shared gardens and sociable green spaces. Homes will range from one-bedroom flats to four-bedroom houses, designed using low-carbon materials and construction methods. Safe, green links will connect the site with the Northstowe Greenway and wider town.
The two cohousing communities will have their own Common House - a shared hub with a kitchen and dining room, guest bedrooms, communal laundry facilities and flexible spaces for everything from community film nights to kids’ play and home-working spaces. These spaces help encourage social interactions between neighbours and make it easier to share resources and live more sustainably.
A key part of TOWN’s approach is codesign, working closely with future residents and the design team to shape the homes, shared spaces and community life from an early stage. They’ve been working with two cohousing groups since autumn 2024, and more codesign workshops are planned for the future. If you’re interested in living in one of the cohousing communities and would like to get involved in the ongoing codesign process, visit the TOWN website to find out more.
Early designs will be shared ahead of submitting a planning application later this summer. Whether you’re curious about the project or interested in living here, pop along and speak to the team. There’ll be free food and drinks from Northstowe Tap and Social, plus ice cream from Jack’s Gelato.
