In a nutshell, Cambourne is a brand new community approximately 9 miles west of Cambridge being created by three of Britain's leading house builders: Bovis Homes, Bryant Homes and George Wimpey.

Here are the facts

• 1,000 acres of land
• Work started in Spring 1998
• Scheduled to take approximately 10-12 years to complete
• Over 3000 new homes planned — to be split into three areas: Great Cambourne, Lower Cambourne and Upper Cambourne each set around a traditional village green
• Cambourne will become home to some 8-10,000 people
• Homes for all — from one to six bedrooms; apartments and houses, retirement homes and affordable housing

Cambourne is planned to be an almost self-contained community incorporating:

• Supermarket with petrol filling station and car wash
• High Street with shops, offices, restaurant, pub, library and apartments
• Two primary schools, multi-purpose sports centre, playing fields, hotel and nursery school
• Ecumenical (multi-denominational) church and cemetery
• Police and fire stations
• Medical centre
• Acres of green open space, woodland paths, cycleways, bridleways and allotments
• A Business Park providing job opportunities for over 5,000 people

Some interesting statistics:

• 77% of residents said the good overall design of the community was a key factor in them choosing to live at Cambourne.
• 75% of residents say they are excited about seeing Cambourne take shape as an important community in Cambridgeshire.
• 60% of land at Cambourne is reserved as green open space - for all
to enjoy
• Cambourne’s new primary school, Monkfield Park, has already been placed in the top 25% of schools in the country according to OFSTED.
• Circa 20% of purchasers of new homes come from within Cambourne - they must like it

How about schools?

Cambourne has two primary schools, Monkfield Park Primary School in Lower Cambourne, which opened in April 2000 and The Vines Inter-Church School in Upper Cambourne, which opened in September 2005.

Older children living at Cambourne fall within the catchment area of Comberton Village College, highlighted by the Sunday Times education survey in 2004 as the best secondary state school in the country.

A private day nursery, Just Learning, opened in Spring 2001 and provides qualified nursery care for the under fives.

What about shops and amenities?

Cambourne has a high street offering familiar shops and facilities including a number of estate agents, a selection of take aways and a restaurant, a pharmacy, a dry cleaners, a building society and a betting shop. In addition Morrisons supermarket opened in 2002 with a petrol filling station and car wash.

Cambourne is also home to a four star hotel, The Cambridge Belfry, run by Q Hotels and offering a swimming pool and leisure facilities as well as bars and restaurants.

In 2005 a library and health centre, Sackville House and a community centre called The Hub opened close to the high street.

A police station and fire station are all planned to play their part in this growing community. Relaxing at Cambourne won’t be a problem with the new proposed leisure complex, and for golf enthusiasts, a golf course will make life go with a swing.

What about the environment?

The Cambourne Consortium has appointed its own ecological experts to oversee the protection and nurturing of wildlife and flora at the new settlement.

Cambourne has its very own Eco-Park with an educational theme which is now open. The Eco Park is home to a number of different species from badgers to great crested newts, and creates a wildlife haven where education and participation in ecology are the key messages.

The natural countryside of Cambourne is being further enhanced by on-going environmental projects including the addition of an approximately 80 acre Country Park which opened in Summer 2001, and many acres of new woodland.

What about business opportunities?

Not only does Cambourne offer the ideal place to live, it also offers the ideal place to work. Cambourne features its own Business Park in addition to the smaller offices and shops along the High Street. Sympathetically designed and with open B1 planning consent the Business Park will create opportunities for some 5,000 new jobs,
and allow businesses to flourish.