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Inspired Living – A design code to enhance design in Northern Cambridge neighbourhoods

As part of a national Design Code Pathfinder Programme, Greater Cambridge Shared Planning (GCSP) has secured funding to develop a design code for existing northern suburban neighbourhoods in Cambridge.

This is a pilot project focusing resources to work with communities and neighbourhoods with the most need, helping raise design standards and tackle inequality.

Lessons learned will be shared nationally to guide the production of other district and citywide design codes that councils will be required to produce in the future.

Focus area map and phases of the design code.

What is a design code?

Design codes are illustrated documents that are informative and inspiring, providing design requirements that guide the physical development of their neighbourhoods.

Design codes are a tool that can:

  • provide a platform for the local communities to share their vision into how their neighbourhoods should evolve sustainably
  • help guide investment to support healthy active lifestyles such as healthy travel, community activity, and play
  • address the climate emergency by improving efficiency of homes, planting trees, and enhancing green and natural spaces
  • help protect and enhance distinctive local character by creating and maintaining beautiful and sustainable buildings

Once completed, the code will be adopted as a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) so will have significant influence when determining planning applications, ensuring future developments are appropriate for their local context.

We have commissioned Pollard Thomas Edwards architects (PTE) to engage with you, the local residents and businesses to help understand your neighbourhoods better and collaboratively develop the design code.

Phases

  • Phase 1: Understanding your neighbourhood and establishing a vision (August and September 2023)
  • Phase 2: Articulating the vision, emerging principles and code (October and November 2023)
  • Phase 3: Testing, exhibition and presentation of the design code (November and December 2023)
  • Formal consultation ahead of adoption as an SPD: (Spring 2025)

We want to keep you involved throughout the whole journey. All outcomes of our engagements, plus future opportunities to get involved and new information will all be published online so please visit again.

Have your say

Information you provide, both online and in-person will be interpreted and used by PTE architects when producing the design code and its principles. This information shall align with the Local Plan to ensure effectiveness in practice.

Further queries

For further queries please email Trovine Monteiro (Team Leader, Built Environment, Greater Cambridge Shared Planning) at:

Published projects

Draft design code supplementary planning document

Archived

Cambridge neighbourhoods design code: Supplementary Planning Document

63 participants

Consultation on the Cambridge neighbourhoods design code for Arbury, King's Hedges and parts of West Chesterton, in advance of adopting the document as a Supplementary Planning Document. Open for comments until 17 February 2025.

Archived

Draft design code

55 participants

Throughout 2024 we collated feedback on our draft design code document.

Archived

Phase 3: Testing, exhibition, and presentation of design code

Collate responses from phase 2 and engage on the emerging draft of the design code.

Archived

Phase 2: Articulating the vision and emerging principles of the design code

72 participants

Using our findings from phase 1, we created five clear principles for improved neighbourhood design.

Archived

Phase 1: Understanding your neighbourhood and establishing a vision (survey)

116 participants

In August and September 2023, we published our first online survey to help us understand residents' needs and aspirations for Arbury, King’s Hedges and West Chesterton.

Archived

Phase 1: Understanding your neighbourhood and establishing a vision (map)

103 participants

In August and September 2023, we published an interactive map to help understand residents' needs and aspirations for Arbury, King’s Hedges and West Chesterton.

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