A Cambridge office scheme set to be among the most sustainable in the city has been recommended for approval by city planning officials.
Pace Investment’s plans for 104-112 Hills Road will be in front of the council’s planning committee next week. Pace proposes demolishing several buildings on the 2.6-acre site and constructing two new buildings of five and seven storeys, with 287,000 sq ft of office space as well as food and beverage space.
Pace Investment director Jonathan Vincent told EG: “We have worked with and listened to local people and stakeholders to create a scheme that will have significant environmental, economic, and public realm benefits. The AHMM design provides loose fit, long life, low carbon, sustainable workspace. We hope the planning committee will agree with the officer’s recommendation to approve when it meets so we can bring our vision to life.”
Cambridge council planning officers noted that the scheme’s expected BREEAM Outstanding rating surpasses the requirements of the city’s development plan, adding that the site will increase biodiversity net gain.
The all-electric buildings will be zero carbon in operation, with water consumption 55% lower than a typical office building. The buildings will use 40% less energy than a typical workplace and, when accounting for embodied carbon, will result in 75% less carbon over a 30-year lifecycle.
In a planning statement for the scheme, lodged last year, Vincent wrote: “Cambridge should be applauded for leading the way in respect of balancing environmental, cultural and economic sustainability, responding to the climate emergency and leading by example to create a more sustainable and successful low carbon economy.”
He described the Hills Road scheme as “a development which builds upon and responds to these principles… delivering an environmentally sustainable green smart building, a building of long life that is fit for and adaptable to the future”.
The buildings will be the first new-build offices in Cambridge to meet BREEAM Outstanding accreditation, Pace said, putting them in the top 1% of all buildings in the country for sustainability. The developer will also target WELL platinum and WiredScore platinum accreditation.
Pace has also committed to safeguarding “the long-term future” of the Flying Pig, a pub on the site that locals had been concerned would be demolished as part of the scheme.
Bidwells has advised Pace on the scheme.
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