First residents move into Eddington

The first residents have moved into their new homes at the University of Cambridge’s new district Eddington, in the north west of the city.

The first occupants are University key workers and eligible for an affordable rent capped on average at a third of income. The creation of the first phase of the Eddington community is the culmination of a £350 million investment by the University of Cambridge. Its purpose is to support the University’s status as a leading academic institution on a global stage by providing affordable accommodation in a new community which is unprecedented in scale and ambition.

The first building being made available comprises 73 two bedroom and one bedroom apartments, and is designed by architects Maccreanor Lavington and Witherford Watson Mann.

The design of the first homes combines the old with the new, with pale brickwork drawing inspiration from traditional Cambridge housing, whilst modern design features mean the accommodation meets the Code for Sustainable Homes Level 5. This is also in keeping with the sustainability aims of the wider Eddington site.

The building is linked to the site-wide sustainable urban drainage system, the largest water recycling network in the country, and to the district heating system, and benefits from the communal underground waste and recycling system. Ample cycle storage and designated cycle lanes throughout Eddington will provide easy access to Cambridge city centre, whilst the market square, retail space and community centre at its heart will make Eddington a destination in its own right.

Heather Topel, Project Director for the North West Cambridge Development, said: “It is very gratifying to see our first residents moving into their new homes in Eddington, signifying this new community is now starting to take shape.

“As well as homes for University key workers, many more of whom will move in over the coming months, we are creating learning and social spaces, amenities and green areas, all combining to create a vibrant environment for people to live, learn and socialise in, whilst setting the standard in sustainable living.”

The arrival of the first residents follows the completion of Swirles Court in May, which will provide a purpose-built post-graduate complex that contains 325 en-suite rooms and is part of Girton College.

One of the first residents of Eddington is Kingsley Gale-Sides, a Research Associate in Astrophysics at the University’s Department of Physics.

He commented: “The built environment here is excellent and I am a big fan of the sustainability aspects. It’s exciting to be living in Eddington from the very beginning and I’m hoping that I and others can encourage a sense of community amongst residents here to build on as more people move in over the next weeks and months.”