HBD has been appointed by Imperial War Museums (IWM) and Gonville & Caius College, a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, as development partner for Duxford Av Tech.
The 25-acre site is located 8 miles south of Cambridge city centre within the economically significant Oxford-Cambridge Arc, offering excellent transport links with access to Junction 10 of the M11.
The project totals 435,000 sq ft with a gross development value of £162 million and is set to create an aviation technology campus that will be at the intersection of academia, industry and government, dedicated to developing low and zero carbon aircraft technology at IWM Duxford. HBD is targeting high sustainability credentials for the new campus, including BREEAM Excellent and an EPC A+ Rating.
Duxford AvTech is projected to deliver significant economic, environmental and social benefits, including 1,200 new jobs and an estimated £64 million in additional gross value added to the Cambridgeshire economy. The next step will be to prepare detailed development plans and engage with partners with the aim of submitting a planning application before the end of the year.
This scheme expands on HBD’s innovation capabilities, following recent approval for the first phase of £1 billion Golden Valley scheme in Cheltenham, which will create approximately 1 million sq ft of prime commercial space, including IDEA, the 160,000 sq ft National Cyber Innovation Centre, as well as 576 residential units of various tenures.
Tim Roberts, CEO at Henry Boot, commented: “HBD’s appointment at Duxford AvTech represents another important milestone for our property investment and development business. This is a transformative scheme that will unlock meaningful opportunities for the local economy and further strengthen Cambridge’s position as a global hub for research and innovation. We look forward to working alongside IWM and Gonville & Caius College to deliver this world-class advanced aviation technology cluster.”