CIP North involved the development of a new masterplan for an existing commercial and innovation site in Cambridge. A previous planning application had been refused, and the project required a fundamentally different approach that could maximise lettable accommodation while responding positively to the concerns of the local planning authority and the wider development context.

The existing site was characterised by low-quality buildings, extensive parking and hard landscaping, limited sustainable drainage, unsympathetic massing at its boundaries and poor pedestrian and cycle connectivity. The revised masterplan sought to transform this fragmented environment into a cohesive, landscape-led innovation campus, improving permeability, public realm and visual connections across the site while supporting future commercial and science-led development.

We led an intensive options-development process, beginning with a comprehensive constraints plan that combined physical, planning and environmental considerations with the client’s commercial aspirations. Through structured workshops, multiple masterplan options were rapidly developed, tested and compared. This created a clear evidence base for decision-making and enabled the strongest elements of each option to be combined into a preferred strategy.

A critical part of our role was balancing the objectives of a commercially focused developer with the expectations of a cautious planning authority. By presenting credible alternatives and engaging the planners early, we created a collaborative route towards a supportable solution rather than revisiting the shortcomings of the previous application. The resulting masterplan established a more sustainable, connected and adaptable framework for the site, demonstrating how rigorous option appraisal and stakeholder engagement can unlock complex development opportunities.