Present Made has been appointed by the University of Cambridge to develop sustainable smart homes as part of its ambitious 150-hectare Eddington masterplan
Under plans submitted to Cambridge City Council, Present Made will develop and operate close to 370 rental homes, as part of a new neighbourhood that will promote healthy and sustainable living.
Residents will benefit from Present Made’s focus on sustainability, with the company targeting a net-zero carbon operational model as part of a wider ESG-driven strategy.
The homes at Eddington will be highly energy-efficient thanks to a combination of smart technology and modern methods of construction, with the houses precision engineered in a factory environment in a process that is less wasteful, disruptive and time consuming compared to traditional construction techniques.
The £160m scheme is centred around the four pillars of:
Activated public realm
From Liveable Streets to a Raised Garden Court, residents will benefit from a range of outdoor spaces that facilitate connectedness to nature and each other, wellbeing, walking, cycling and exercise as part of a design that prioritises people above cars
Community creation
A range of internal and external amenity spaces combined with a year-long calendar of communal events will encourage residents to meet and get to know their neighbours
Professional management
Present Made will retain ownership and control of the completed development, with residents benefiting from an on-site management team that is readily available, handling any maintenance issues speedily as well as organising regular socials
Talent retention
By offering a new type of high-quality rental housing that has never been seen before in the UK, Present Made at Eddington will help Cambridge capture and retain talent by providing an attractive alternative to home ownership that is both flexible and secure in tenure
Eddington is the first site within Present Made’s initial £1.6bn development pipeline, which will see over 3,000 precision-engineered smart rental homes delivered across the south of England.
The company has a further three sites in the Oxford-Cambridge Arc in addition to Eddington, with further announcements expected later this year. The region is one of the UK’s most innovative and productive but also has some of the highest housing costs.
The scheme has been curated by Jo Cowen Architects.
‘Unprecedented in its ambition and scale’
Richard Jackson, co-founder of Apache Capital and CEO at Present Made said: “It is a privilege to be working alongside the University of Cambridge in delivering the UK’s first family homes to be specifically designed and built for rent.
“This would not have been possible had it not been for the strategic concept, design and development by Jo Cowen Architects, which was central to the University of Cambridge’s decision to select Present Made.
“Present Made homes will sit in master-planned, landscape-led communities that have been designed around people not cars, to promote active, healthy and sustainable lifestyles.
“Our vision is to encourage healthy and sustainable lifestyles, making them second nature to our residents.
“Present Made will help the University and City attract and retain talent as part of a multi-tenure diversified intergenerational community to complement the exceptional placemaking and quality of mixed-use development already delivered by the University.”
Brian Nearney, commercial director from the University of Cambridge, added: “Eddington sets the standard in sustainable living.
“Unprecedented in its ambition and scale, Eddington is part of the University’s plans to safeguard its future as a world-leading university by providing key workers, students and the wider community with a vibrant place to live.
“Present Made will take a unique role at Eddington with the delivery of highly sustainable family homes and their on-going community development work which complements the overall masterplan vision.”
