PLACES | PLACEMAKING | CB1 REDEVELOPMENT

Question 1

Where is CB1 redevelopment located?

Answer 1

Approx. 10 hectares west of Cambridge Railway Station

Question 2

When was CB1 redevelopment approved?

Answer 2

2008

Question 3

When did construction begin?

Answer 3

2010

Question 4

What is the total cost of CB1 redevelopment?

Answer 4

£725 million

Question 5

Where did most of the funding come from?

Answer 5

Private sector investment

Question 6

When did the railway arrive in Cambridge?

Answer 6

1845

Question 7

What type of housing originally dominated the area?

Answer 7

High-density low-rise terraced housing

Question 8

What key industry was located in the area?

Answer 8

Flour milling

Question 9

When was Fosters Mill built?

Answer 9

1896

Question 10

When did the flour mill close?

Answer 10

2001

Question 11

What economic shift occurred in the 1980s–90s?

Answer 11

Shift to tertiary and quaternary sectors

Question 12

What condition was the CB1 area in before redevelopment?

Answer 12

Derelict with low environmental quality

Question 13

What major land use problem existed?

Answer 13

Large unpaved NCP car park

Question 14

What environmental issue affected the land?

Answer 14

Contamination from industrial use

Question 15

What event worsened the site’s condition in 2010?

Answer 15

Fire at Rank Hovis mill

Question 16

What type of rebranding strategy was used in CB1?

Answer 16

Market-led (private sector driven)

Question 17

Who led the redevelopment?

Answer 17

Private investors

Question 18

What was the main aim of CB1 redevelopment?

Answer 18

Transform the station area into a gateway destination

Question 19

Was CB1 a flagship or event-led project?

Answer 19

No – it was a market-led redevelopment driven by private investment with no flagship landmark or link to a major event

Question 20

Give examples of retail in CB1

Answer 20

Sainsbury’s and chain food outlets

Question 21

Name examples of food outlets in CB1

Answer 21

Greggs Pret Café Nero Gails Subway

Question 22

Name two hotels in CB1

Answer 22

Ibis Hotel and Clayton Hotel

Question 23

What types of housing were built?

Answer 23

Apartments and student accommodation

Question 24

How many student accommodation rooms were built?

Answer 24

440 rooms (Anglia Ruskin University)

Question 25

What transport improvements were made?

Answer 25

Bus interchange taxi drop-off and 3000-space cycle park

Question 26

What is mixed land use?

Answer 26

Combination of residential retail and employment uses

Question 27

What is vertical zoning?

Answer 27

Ground floor retail/commercial with residential above

Question 28

How many land parcels did Brookgate acquire?

Answer 28

26 parcels

Question 29

How much did Brookgate invest in environmental improvements?

Answer 29

£21 million

Question 30

Who designed the CB1 masterplan?

Answer 30

Robert Myers Associates (landscape architects)

Question 31

Who owned much of the land around Station Road?

Answer 31

Jesus College Cambridge

Question 32

How many jobs did Amazon create in CB1?

Answer 32

400 jobs

Question 33

What did Amazon build?

Answer 33

High-tech R&D facility

Question 34

How much did Microsoft invest in CB1?

Answer 34

£37 million (2012)

Question 35

What did Microsoft build?

Answer 35

UK headquarters for Microsoft Research

Question 36

How much did Aviva invest?

Answer 36

£87 million (2019)

Question 37

What did Aviva develop?

Answer 37

50 and 60 Station Road office development

Question 38

What group influenced transport improvements?

Answer 38

Smarter Cambridge Transport

Question 39

What changes did they achieve?

Answer 39

More cycle spaces and additional zebra crossings

Question 40

What national award did CB1 win?

Answer 40

BCO (British Council for Offices) award for best commercial workspace

Question 41

What environmental success occurred?

Answer 41

Contaminated land was cleaned up

Question 42

How many housing units were built?

Answer 42

325 private units

Question 43

What percentage of housing was affordable?

Answer 43

37%

Question 44

What economic benefits occurred?

Answer 44

Hundreds of high-skilled jobs created

Question 45

Why has social cohesion been limited in CB1?

Answer 45

High proportion of transient student population

Question 46

How much extra was spent resolving green space conflicts?

Answer 46

£150 thousand

Question 47

What transport design issue has been criticised?

Answer 47

Large taxi rank dominating public square

Question 48

What environmental issue remains?

Answer 48

Air pollution near bus interchange

Question 49

What promised facilities were not built?

Answer 49

Heritage centre and health clinic

Question 50

What criticism is made about CB1’s character?

Answer 50

Described as a clone town lacking identity

Question 51

How has perception of CB1 changed?

Answer 51

From derelict and unsafe to modern and clean

Question 52

What social issues have been reported?

Answer 52

Anti-social behaviour and crime reports

Question 53

What criticism is made about value for money?

Answer 53

Not meeting expectations despite £725 million investment