Groundbreaking ceremony marks the start of construction for Northstowe's Unity Centre

A groundbreaking ceremony took place today (Thursday 6 March) as South Cambridgeshire District Council marked the start of construction of the Unity Centre, the permanent community centre for Phase 1 in the growing town of Northstowe.  

Construction of the community centre is being carried out by Kier and is due to be completed in early 2026.  

Photos: davidjohnsonphotographic.co.uk

The event, which was attended by Cllr Henry Batchelor, Lead Cabinet Member for Communities for South Cambridgeshire District Council, local Ward Councillors, Northstowe Town Council, Ian Sollom MP for St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire, and representatives from Kier, marked a significant milestone for Northstowe and celebrated the first step toward the completion of this state-of-the-art facility, designed to serve the local community.  

The Unity Centre is funded through a collaboration between South Cambridgeshire District Council, who has contributed £6.5 million towards the project, and £2.2 million s106 funding from the Phase 1 developers, Urban & Civic. Additionally, the project has received funding from the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority via the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. 

Once complete, the Unity Centre will host a range of community activities, events, and services, providing an exciting and spacious meeting place that will be well-used and enjoyed by Northstowe residents. 

The community centre will provide the following spaces and potential uses:  

• A main hall - A large multi-purpose hall for formal and informal events; public assembly, visual and performing arts, practice and tuition, lectures, and demonstrations

• Foyer / café - An informal community gathering space which can be used to serve refreshments

• Kitchens - To serve the main hall and café

• A base for staff, Town Council offices, reception and booking point

• Consultation / meeting rooms – Multi-purpose spaces for meetings, groups, and visiting community services

• A free-range shared space for community use and co-working

• Micro Library area

• Flexible activity space - A robust ‘make space’ for arts and crafts, workshops or other potentially messy or noisy activities, connected to the secure courtyard garden

• Toilets including a changing places facility – this is disabled-friendly and includes features such as an adult size changing bed and a hoist for safe lifting

• Outdoor space that is safe and secure.

The building design will have: 

• Passivhaus principles – highly insulated and a low energy demand

• Solar panels and ground source heat pumps

• Green roofs and externally there will be hedges and trees with bird/bat boxes and bee houses to help increase biodiversity within the site

• 70 bicycle spaces.

Cllr Henry Batchelor, Lead Cabinet Member for Communities, said: "I am thrilled that construction of the Unity Centre has begun. This facility will provide a pivotal place in bringing people together, further strengthening the already vibrant community spirit Northstowe residents show. I am particularly proud that the Council funding has ensured that the building will be environmentally friendly and sustainable to run going forward, which aligns with the Council’s values of being ‘Green to our Core’.” 

The Unity Centre is one of several community buildings that South Cambridgeshire District Council is providing for residents in the first phase of Northstowe. A temporary community centre opened in summer 2023 and the Western Park Sports Pavilion, managed by Elite Sports UK, has been open since January last year.  Both have proved to be very well-used and popular local facilities.  

Cllr Natalie Warren-Green, District Councillor for Northstowe, said: “The temporary community centre (The Cabin) has been a great success and provided a perfect opportunity to see what the permanent centre can offer residents. Now that we’ve broken ground to commence work on this, I’m looking forward to seeing how the new building caters for the very diverse set of activities currently catered for in the interim building and the scope it has for adapting as Northstowe develops.” 

Cllr Tom Bygott, District Councillor for Northstowe, said: "I'm pleased that we have spades in the ground to start building the Unity Centre in Northstowe. Residents have been waiting a long time for this, so it's great to finally see the community centre's construction getting under way. 

The community centre will provide a crucial place for people to socialise and enjoy activities together. I am hopeful that it will become the beating heart of Northstowe and will provide the community facilities that local residents have rightly been requesting and expecting to be delivered." 

Mark Dady, Managing Director, Kier Construction Eastern & Midlands, said: "This groundbreaking ceremony represents a great milestone for this project as we officially mark the start of the construction work on site. We are excited to see the Unity Centre take shape and look forward to creating a space that will truly benefit the local community. 

This project and community mean a lot to our team, as we recently completed the major expansion of Northstowe Secondary College and the creation of a brand new sixth form. So, we are delighted to play a part in creating more community spaces for local residents in this wonderful emerging town.” 

 

Watch the video of the groundbreaking ceremony featuring interviews with District Councillors: Cllr Henry Batchelor, Cllr Tom Bygott and Cllr Natalie Warren-Green, Town Mayor of Northstowe Cllr Paul Littlemore, and MP of St Neots and Mid Cambridgshire Ian Sollom.