Four world-renowned Cambridge colleges and the university itself have joined forced to facilitate a massive housing development on the south west perimeter of the city.

Consultations with local residents were due to start today on the scheme (Feb 25) which could see nearly 3,000 new homes built on farm land. Provisions have also been made for a new primary school, health centre and public square.

The £300m development, drawn up by Milton Keynes-based David Lock Associates, is the brainchild of the North Barton Road Land Owners Group – the four colleges involved are Corpus Christie, St Johns, Jesus and Downing.

Jenny Raine, Bursar of Corpus Christi College, said: “The Vision for South West Cambridge is a high-quality new neighbourhood that will provide the homes Cambridge needs in the most sustainable location.

“Located next to the growing employment area of West Cambridge and providing easy access to the centre of the City, the proposals meet the requirements for new development laid out by Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire Councils. The new neighbourhood will also be at the forefront of environmental sustainability, both with respect to the homes that are built and the new, publicly accessible green spaces created.”

The group’s commitment to environmental concerns means more than half of the development will be retained as open space and they have agreed to create a water meadow, which will also act as a natural flood defence. It has also agreed to make at least 40% of the proposed 2,800 homes ‘affordable housing’.