Boxworth Gateway

This proposal for a large scale distribution hub is being promoted by Newlands Developments. The proposal is to develop the site adjacent to the A14/Boxworth Services and cover 220 acres (approx. 80 hectares) providing up to 150,000sqm of warehousing space in 14 buildings with a height at the eaves of up to 21m.
A planning application is yet to be submitted but it is Newland’s intention to submit an application later this year. At present they have asked Greater Cambridgeshire Shared Planning (GCSP) to comment on their Environmental Impact Assessment. This is a piece of work required in support of an application which sets out the impact of the scheme under a number of headings including transport, visual impact, effect on wildlife, etc. A link to this document, which runs to 150 pages, is included below.
The land subject to the proposal is not included in the current Local Plan but this may change later this year when it is understood that a portion of the site may be designated for development (along with the land behind Cambridge Services). In preparing the new Local Plan GCSP commissioned a report from Iceni Projects Ltd on the need for industrial and distribution space in the Greater Cambridge Area. The link to the report is copied below but in summary, in relation to B8 Distribution space the report outlined a need for additional space as follows:

‘It may be preferable to have two locations brought forward simultaneously to improve occupier choice and competitiveness. Anticipated demand for this type of space is substantial and could form two 10-15 ha (additional) parcels or one larger site.’

The following documents provide further background to the proposal:

1. Presentation to Parish, District Councillor and Greater Cambridgeshire Planning on the proposed development
2. Iceni report on the need for additional warehousing and distribution space.
   Summary of B8 Space Recommendations – Iceni Report (March 2025)
   1. Significant Undersupply of B8 Space
   • Indicative need: 126,800 sq.m of B8 floorspace is required, forming the largest component (40%) of the total 317,000 sq.m industrial land need identified.
   • Current provision: There is a net deficit of around 200,000 sq.m, even after accounting for committed First Proposals and completions.
   • Conclusion: B8 space is underprovided in the current pipeline; the supply is insufficient to meet both local (final mile) and strategic distribution needs.2. Distinct B8 Typologies with Specific Needs
   • Final Mile Centres: Usually smaller (~2,300 sq.m) and located on urban fringes close to delivery destinations. These are increasingly important for e-commerce and just-in-time logistics.
   • Strategic/National Centres: Large warehouses exceeding 9,300 sq.m, located near strategic road networks (SRN) like A14, M11, A428.
   Example: DHL’s final mile depot at Papworth Everard (1,800 sq.m) illustrates local scale need. Amazon, Next, Argos, etc., are among large-scale occupiers.3. Location Priorities
   • B8 facilities must be located near SRN for efficiency.
   • Local distribution hubs are best sited on the urban edge of Cambridge.
   • The Cambridge East and Bar Hill/A14 corridors are seen as ideal expansion areas.4. Delivery Recommendations
   • Two 10–15 ha sites (or one large ~25 ha site) should be identified to meet projected B8 demand.
   • Potential need for two separate sites to improve occupier choice and competition.
   • Junction 24 of the A14 is already identified but likely insufficient; additional land must be allocated.5. Practical Planning Guidance
   • The report advises against overly rigid typology-specific allocations due to market fluidity.
   • Recommends mixed-use allocations (e.g. B2/B8 co-located).
   • Flexibility in land use designations.
   • Prioritising delivery early in the plan period (2025–2030) to relieve existing pressures.6. Long-Term Market Drivers
   • E-commerce growth.
   • Shift toward resilience in supply chains (e.g. holding more stock).
   • Urban population growth, increasing last-mile delivery needs.
3. Newlands Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
   1. Part 1
   2. Part 2
   3. Part 3
4. The GCSP website with all the planning documents associated with the Newlands EIA. Most of the comments received as at 1/7/2025 are of a technical nature, commenting on the scope of the EIA. The comments from Anglian Water and the Environment Agency appear to raise significant, in principle, objections to the development and may result in these bodies objecting to the proposal.

At the recent consultation Newlands wouldn’t divulge their estimates of the expected vehicle movements associated with their development.

Trip Rate Information Computer System (TRICS) is a database used in the UK and Ireland for transport planning, specifically for predicting the number of trips generated by new developments. Essentially, it helps transport planners understand how a new building or area might affect traffic, pedestrian, cyclist, and public transport movements. Making reasonable assumptions regarding the occupancy of the completed development, TRICS calculates that weekday daily movements of vehicles could reach 4,350, made up of 525 HGVs, Light Goods Vehicles (vans) 1,275 and cars for staff/visitors of 2,540. All of these vehicles would, under the current proposals, use Boxworth Road and the roundabout at the services to access the site.

For context, daily HGV movements into Cambridge services total 785.

The attached word document shows the assumptions and calculations.