Frequently asked questions
Answering your questions about Waterbeach Barracks
We have been working very closely with local communities on a shared vision for how the new part of Waterbeach fits and grows from the existing village and local history.
The Barracks sits within the historic Parish boundary of Waterbeach and Chittering, and the facilities, services and amenities – especially education and health care, transport and connections, and landscaped areas have all been planned to work with the village; providing maximum benefits while minimising the impact on our neighbours from the development.
Waterbeach Barracks is just 5 miles from Cambridge and 3 miles from the Science Park, which is the major and growing employment centre in the City.
The village currently has a railway station with plans for expansion alongside the A10 Cambridge to Ely investment programme. We are making early investment in transport infrastructure of £15m that will focus on a super cycle highway along a historic Mere Way route, to provide safe cycling routes into Cambridge.
This will mean that you can cycle into the Science park in about 25 minutes and to the City Centre in about 35 minutes. There will also be extensive bus provision. We will be introducing a Park and Ride that will connect into the existing Milton Park and Ride service.
Over the course of Phase 1 there will be a bus service every 10 minutes alongside the existing two bus services that serve the development to different locations in the City Centre.
Huge amounts of trees were planted by the military, mostly in the 70s and 80s. They were mainly single species, planted in dense regimented lines. We are working closely with the Forestry Commission to achieve a more natural woodland state, to provide better places both for wildlife and also for people.
There will also be some play glades that sit inside with play areas for children of all ages. We are doing a huge amount of new tree planting, including 17000 trees in Phase 1, to enhance and expand the woodland and ensure it is really well connected.