North-West and West Cambridge

Eddington is a major new neighbourhood in North West Cambridge, led by the University of Cambridge. It forms part of the wider growth of the city and aims to deliver high-quality housing, academic space, and community facilities.

The site received Outline Planning Permission in February 2013 (Ref: S/1886/11)

The outline permission includes up to 3,000 homes, student accommodation, academic space, shops, community facilities, and public open spaces.

In Eddington you will find:

• homes for university and non-university residents
• a primary school
• a community centre and local shops
• green spaces, play areas, and cycle routes
• sustainable design features such as rainwater recycling and a district heating network

No further reserved matters applications will come forward under the Phase 1 outline consent as the deadline for these types of applications has now passed.

Phase 2

An outline planning application was submitted in September 2025 and is being considered by officers. The plan is to build 3,800 new homes for students, older persons, co-living as well as places to work for lots of new jobs, exercise and play. If the application is approved, the total number of new homes in Eddington would be 5,648.

The area for the proposal is very large and is located in both Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire. This means when the officers assessment is complete, the application will be determined by the Joint Development Management Committee, which is made up of Members (Councillors) from Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire.

How to view the planning applications

Application reference numbers: 25/03746/OUT and 25/03752/OUT – pending consideration.

Lots S1 and S2:
An application for Reserved Matters for 373 residential units, access roads, cycle and pedestrian routes, and car and cycle parking was approved in August 2022.
Application reference: 21/04036/REM

Lot 4:
An application for Reserved Matters for 88 residential units was approved in June 2022. 
Application reference: 22/01168/REM

Parcels M1 and M2:
An application for Reserved Matters for 249 residential units was approved in December 2015. 
Application references: 15/1663/REM, S/2219/15/RM, 20/01549/REM, S/2766/19/RM 

Parcel M3:
An application for Reserved Matters for 106 residential units was approved in June 2017. 
Application reference: 17/0285/REM

Parcels M4 and M5:
An application for Reserved Matters for 160 residential units was approved in April 2023. Application reference: 22/04989/REM 

Darwin Green is an urban extension located to the north west of Cambridge City centre, adjoined to Huntingdon Road in the south and the A14 in the north.

It was allocated in the Cambridge City Local Plan (2018) as the Land between Huntingdon Road and Histon Road Area of Major Change (Policy 20).

Darwin Green is a cross boundary site and sits within Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire District Council, as such applications for approval are often determined by the Joint Development Management Committee.

Darwin Green 1

Darwin Green 1 outline planning permission was approved in in December 2013 for a mixed-use development comprising up to 1593 dwellings, primary school, community facilities, retail and associated open space, landscape and access network.

Outline Planning permission ref: 07/0003/OUT

Reserved matters approval for access roads, pedestrian and cycle paths, public open space, services across the site and one allotment site approved in June 2014. (ref. 14/0086/REM)

Reserved matters approval for a public square and associated infrastructure approved December 2014 (Ref: 14/01410/REM)

Local Centre - Reserved matters approval for 114 residential units and local centre including library, community rooms, health centre and retail units approved May 2016 (Ref: 15/1670/REM)

BDW1 - Reserved matters approval for 173 dwellings with associated internal roads, car parking, landscaping, amenity and public open space approved May 2016 (Ref: 16/0208/REM)

BDW 2 - Reserved matters approval for 323 dwellings with associated internal roads, car parking, landscaping, amenity and public open space (Ref: 21/04431/REM)

BDW 3 – Reserved matters approval for 210 dwellings with associated internal roads, car parking, landscaping, amenity and public open space approved in April 2023 (Ref: 21/05434/REM)

BDW 4 – Reserved matters approval for 342 dwellings, with associated internal roads, car parking, landscaping, amenity and public open space approved in December 2022 (Ref: 21/05433/REM)

BDW 5 and 6 – Reserved matters approval for including 410 dwellings and allotments with associated internal roads, car parking, landscaping, amenity and public open space approved December 2021 (Ref: 21/03619/REM)

The time limit has now lapsed for any future reserved matters to be submitted against the outline but all residential properties have been granted detail approval and are currently under construction.

The Darwin Green Sports Pavilion is now complete and operational.

Darwin Green 2 and 3

Outline Planning Permission Reference: 22/02528/OUT.

Phases 2 and 3 was granted outline planning permission on appeal by the Secretary of State in September 2024 for up to 1,000 residential dwellings, a secondary school, a primary school, community facility, a country park and associated works.

The developer is currently in pre-application negotiations with GCSP to bring forward the first reserved matters in early 2026.

Outline Planning Permission Reference: 16/1134/OUT

The West Cambridge permission approved up to 383,300sqm of development comprising 370,000sqm of academic floorspace and ancillary commercial and leisure floorspace in June 2024.