5. Design and built character

Figure 15: Illustration showing the placemaking vision for North East Cambridge

North East Cambridge should be a characterful and lively city district, well-integrated with surrounding communities and with a unique sense of place. To achieve this requires imaginative and holistic design for buildings, streets and spaces. This should create a genuine mix of uses in buildings and across neighbourhoods, at a scale that creates a vibrant community and intensity of activity. The new district should feel like part of Cambridge – a place that future generations will be proud of.

Creating high quality places with well-designed buildings, streets and spaces will encourage cohesive communities that reduces crime and the fear of crime along with antisocial behaviour. Public and private spaces should be clearly defined in terms of ownership, have good natural surveillance and be well managed. This will have a positive impact on the perceived safety and well-being of those working, living and visiting North East Cambridge.

This section includes the following policies:

• Policy 6a: Distinctive design for North East Cambridge
• Policy 6b: Design of mixed-use buildings
• Policy 7: Legible streets and spaces
• Policy 8: Open spaces for recreation and sport
• Policy 9: Density, heights, scale and massing
• Policy 10a: North East Cambridge Centres
• Policy 10b: District Centre
• Policy 10c: Science Park Local Centre
• Policy 10d: Station Approach
• Policy 10e: Cowley Road Neighbourhood Centre
• Policy 11: Housing design standards