18 COMMENT


Before redevelopment, the local centre comprised ageing shops, 18 outdated fl ats, garages and fragmented areas of open space. Despite having been identifi ed for regeneration in the  Local Plan, comprehensive redevelopment did not egin until . The regeneration strategy, now being delivered on the ground, increases the numer of homes from  to  in the local centre of East Barnwell. All are affordable council homes, including  for social rent and  aailale at around  of maret rents. he buildings range from three to six storeys and sit alongside a new community centre, library, pre-school, cafe and commercial units.


That uplift creates the capacity for substantially more affordable housing while supporting the regeneration of the local centre. Furthermore, the additional residents will support the new commercial and community uses. In this instance, greater density helps support three objectives: meeting housing need, underpinning local services and giving the centre a stronger identity. he uilt form is signifi cant ast Barnwell is not simply adding more homes to a suburb; it is creating a place that feels more lie a town centre, with enough height and enclosure to frame arnwell oad, mar an important junction and give the neighbourhood a stronger civic heart.


This is particularly important in amridge, where housing costs mae it diffi cult for many people who wor in the city to live locally. Affordable homes within an existing neighbourhood can help retain families and ey worers while reducing longer commutes.


FLATS, FAMILIES & MARKET REALITY East Barnwell also points to a wider issue: much urban density is delivered through fl ats. amily demand can often faour houses, while confi dence has


been tested by concerns about ground rents, service charges, cladding and building management.


East Barnwell is different because it is  affordale council housing in a reuilt local centre, rather than a maret- led apartment scheme. But if policy expects more urban density, leasehold reform, building safety regulation and family-friendly space standards will all play an important role in ensuring fl ats are attractive, practical homes.


WORKING HARDER WITH LESS SPACE The most instructive part of East Barnwell is not the housing numbers, but what happens between the buildings. The local centre masterplan replaces fragmented and underused land with a central suare and landscaped par. Buildings frame the public realm and proide actie ground-fl oor uses. he scheme proides clearer waling and cycling routes and ehicle paring has een reduced. he scheme adds  new trees and is designed to achiee  biodiversity net gain.


Housing quality has not been treated as the price of density. round  of the homes are dual aspect and the development is gas free and includes air source heat pumps, mechanical ventilation with heat recovery, solar panels and green roofs for new buildings. The scheme demonstrates how a more intensive use of land alongside stronger environmental performance and more coherent open space.


The quantity of open space is only one measure of amenity. A leftover grass verge may add to a measure of open space while contributing little to daily life a well-oerlooed, connected and purposeful public space can offer greater social value.


COMMUNITY IS PART OF THE DESIGN Achieving higher density also depends on trust between residents and the local authority. esidents are more liely to accept substantial change when they can see what it provides in return and when their aspirations and suggestions infl uence the scheme.


Engagement on the regeneration strategy at ast arnwell egan in  and included worshops, drop-in eents and discussions with residents, local organisations, businesses and existing tenants. Much of this occurred through the oid pandemic in -. Concerns about open space and the operation of shops during construction shaped the response. The landscape


was reorganised to be more useful, and a planning condition secured a strategy for temporary commercial proision. n une , amridge ity Council’s planning committee approved the scheme unanimously.


A PRACTICAL MODEL FOR URBAN GROWTH


The existing National Planning Policy ramewor , ass planning authorities to mae effi cient use of land and the Government’s proposed revisions go further, supporting urban and suuran densifi cation and minimum densities in well-connected locations. Delivery will still depend on local judgement, design capability and viable partnership models.


East Barnwell is being delivered through the Cambridge Investment Partnership. The partnership between Cambridge City Council and The Hill Group, with Carter Jonas acting as planning adviser. The model combines pulic-sector land and nowledge of local need with private-sector development experience and expertise. Not every site being delivered by the Cambridge Investment Partnership has the same site ownership, funding or community context and not every local centre should by default be rebuilt to higher densities, but East Barnwell demonstrates at least one transferable principle: that density is most usefully assessed by the value it creates, not simply by the number it records. At East Barnwell, more homes will enale a  affordale housing programme in the local centre, supporting renewed community facilities, a stronger landmar and a more sustainale centre. For these reasons, the development proides a ey eample of how increased density can deliver on objectives of place.


Glen Richardson is an associate partner at Carter Jonas


DENSITY IS MOST USEFULLY ASSESSED BY THE VALUE IT CREATES, NOT SIMPLY BY THE NUMBER IT RECORDS


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