New station for Waterbeach

The Greater Cambridge City Deal was signed to support the Local Plan, with money made available by Central Government for the delivery of vital improvements to infrastructure that supports sustainable economic growth and accelerate the delivery of thousands of new homes and jobs.The GCP is therefore providing £20m of the £37m needed to relocate the railway station, as this new station will help unlock thousands of new homes and deliver new and sustainable transport links. The remaining £17m will be funded by the developer as the development is built out, under the terms of the Section 106 agreement, with the GCP forward funding delivery of the station.

The developer of Waterbeach New Town has been unable to secure funding for the new station and it cannot be delivered under traditional planning gain arrangements. The independent viability assessment commissioned by the planning authority confirmed this position and the planning committee approved the scheme in the knowledge that (a) the station needed to move before any homes were built and (b) the developer was not in a position to fund it.

The work the project team will be undertaking over the next few months will include looking at what facilities could be provided at the new station, although a planning permission is already approved for the new station. 

Which trains will call at the new station will be something that the project team will be looking at as they start their work. We plan to engage with the local community about the new railway station once the plans are more fully developed, but before any final decisions are made. 

The current budget for the new station is £37m

There isn’t room in the timetable for trains to call at both stations. Therefore, once the new Waterbeach Station is open, the old one will close. Department for Transport (DfT) will be leading on the process to close the old station. This will include a separate consultation as set out in the 1993 Railways Act.  

The current plan is for the new station to open in late 2025.

There have been no changes to the approved planning application for the new Waterbeach Railway Station. As the designs at this location develop it may become necessary to amend the existing planning permission or make an additional application for planning permission. The project team is in dialogue with the local planning authority (South Cambridgeshire District Council) and will follow their guidance. If further applications or amendments are necessary, unless deemed non-material, the local planning authority are required to undertake a period of statutory consultation where views can be expressed. The local planning authority will publicise the application on receipt by writing to consultees and may also arrange for notices to be displayed at the site. Once the consultation period for the application has concluded, the representations made by consultees will be considered by the local planning authority in determining the application. You can view and comment on planning applications at: ‘www.greatercambridgeplanning.org/planning-applications/view-and-comment-on-planning-applications/’ or by clicking on this link: View and comment on planning applications (greatercambridgeplanning.org).

Future updates about the railway station development will be provided at the Waterbeach Community Forum and on the project’s web page at: www.greatercambridge.org.uk/sustainable-transport-programme/other-transport-schemes/new-station-for-waterbeach of by clicking on this link: New station for Waterbeach (greatercambridge.org.uk).

Details of how construction will be managed to mitigate the environmental impacts (including noise, vibration, dust and traffic) is subject to a planning condition. The project team is currently exploring options for a shared construction access with RLWE and U&C. An application to discharge the planning condition will be submitted in due course and the construction works will be undertaken in accordance with the details agreed with the local planning authority.

It is not possible to have access to a station from privately owned land. The safety of rail users is paramount, access from third party land cannot be guaranteed or safety managed. Access to the station will be provided in accordance with the approved plans. 

The GCP Executive Board agreed to delivering the relocated Waterbeach Station in June 2022, the report sets out why the GCP is stepping in. This is available here: Document.ashx (cmis.uk.com)

There have been no changes to the red line boundary (which delineates the extent of land required to deliver the proposed development).

Should it become necessary to amend the red line boundary as detailed designs are developed, the project team are in dialogue with the local planning authority (South Cambridgeshire District Council) and will follow their guidance. If further planning applications or amendments are necessary, unless deemed non-material, the local planning authority are required to undertake a period of statutory consultation where views can be expressed. Once the consultation has concluded the representations made by consultees will be considered when determining the application. You can view and comment on planning applications at: ‘www.greatercambridgeplanning.org/planning-applications/view-and-comment-on-planning-applications/’ or by clicking on this link: View and comment on planning applications (greatercambridgeplanning.org).

We are keen to encourage those travelling to and from the new railway station to walk and cycle and are creating facilities at the station to enable and encourage this such as cycle parking. For those assessing the station by car, there will be a passenger pick up and drop off loop and parking for up to 200 cars including blue badge and electric vehicle charging bays. Access to the station by car will be via a new junction off Cody Road. Whilst the project has no direct influence on bus services in the area, Greater Cambridge Partnership are in dialogue with Stagecoach, RLWE and U&C and are exploring opportunities for bus connectivity in and around the new station. 

A breakdown of all GCP’s project costs are published during every meeting of the Joint Assembly and Exec Board the documents can be found on the County Council’s website here - Council and committee meetings - Cambridgeshire County Council > Outside Bodies (cmis.uk.com)