Last week marked a significant milestone at one of Cambridge’s most ambitious regeneration projects.
The last bricks have been laid in the delivery of 120 new council homes at Barnwell Square, East Barnwell, a moment celebrated with Cambridge City Council, the Cambridge Investment Partnership (CIP), Hill Partnerships, Homes England, One Public Estate, Abbey People, and the wider project team.
Potter Raper are proud to be supporting delivery of this flagship scheme, providing Project Management, Quantity Surveying, and Clerk of Works services throughout. The homes replace 18 ageing flats with a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments and maisonettes, including four homes specifically designed for people with disabilities.
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A Partnership Built for Cambridge
Barnwell Square is being delivered through the Cambridge Investment Partnership (CIP), an equal joint venture between Cambridge City Council and The Hill Group, established in 2018. Since its formation, CIP has built over 1,150 new homes, including more than 850 new council homes, across 24 sites in Cambridge. At East Barnwell, the partnership brings together the council’s democratic accountability, community trust, and long-term stewardship with Hill’s development, design, and construction expertise. Designed by BPTW, the development delivers 120 new council homes alongside a community centre, public library, pre-school, and commercial spaces. The library and pre-school will be leased to Cambridgeshire County Council on completion, with the pre-school subsequently operated by an independent provider. Cambridge City Council will retain ownership of the community centre and lease it to Abbey People as long-term operators.
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Built to the Cam Standard
The gas-free development is built to Cambridge City Council’s Cam Standard, which supports households to use less energy, resulting in lower carbon emissions, better climate resilience, and reduced household energy bills. The scheme features tree-lined streets, biodiverse planting, green roofs, enhanced pedestrian and cycle routes, and a new public square designed to support community cohesion. It achieves a 20% biodiversity net gain. The commercial spaces are designed to target BREEAM Excellent. The 120 homes replace 18 ageing flats and provide a mix of social and affordable rents – including four homes specifically designed for people with disabilities, to support residents across a range of housing needs.
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Keeping a Complex Scheme on Track
Delivering a phased scheme of this scale in a live urban environment requires careful coordination. Potter Raper led on the development of a robust decant strategy to maintain access and continuity of services for existing residents and businesses throughout Phase 1, while also coordinating an extensive programme of surveys, technical design, and stakeholder engagement to support the planning submission. Our Clerk of Works role maintains quality oversight on site throughout the build programme, while our Project Management and Quantity Surveying teams keep programme and cost under close control. Phase 2 will commence once Phase 1 is complete, with temporary retail facilities in place to prevent disruption to local traders. The golden brick event is a proud milestone, and a testament to the collaborative effort of the entire project team.
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Supporting Partnership-Driven Delivery
Barnwell Square is one chapter in a long-running relationship. Potter Raper has been working with Cambridge Investment Partnership since 2018, supporting the delivery of multiple projects across Cambridge that have provided over 700 new homes, a community centre, nursery, retail space, and open green space, and counting.
In an ever-changing environment, the ability to adapt and maintain consistent delivery across a long-term programme is what good partnership working looks like in practice. Potter Raper offers a dedicated Partnerships and Joint Ventures service, bringing over 20 years of experience in establishing, delivering, and supporting collaborations across the residential, commercial, and regeneration sectors. Whether forming new partnerships or managing complex joint ventures, our team provides the contractual, commercial, and programme expertise to protect all parties’ interests and maximise value.
Find out more on our Partnership and Joint Ventures website page.
