Boyer at 40: Top Projects from 40 Years – A Legacy in Placemaking Waterbeach New Town – Reflections from Matt Clarke, Director and Head of Boyer Colchester
In our ongoing Boyer at 40 series, we’re celebrating some of our most impactful planning projects, those that showcase our commitment to placemaking at scale and over time. This week, we turn to Waterbeach New Town in South Cambridgeshire: a transformational project that represents one of the most ambitious and far-reaching in Boyer’s history.
In our ongoing Boyer at 40 series, we’re celebrating some of our most impactful planning projects, those that showcase our commitment to placemaking at scale and over time. This week, we turn to Waterbeach New Town in South Cambridgeshire: a transformational project that represents one of the most ambitious and far-reaching in Boyer’s history.
Waterbeach New Town: Planning a New Community from the Ground Up
Boyer has been involved in the Waterbeach project since its earliest stages, with Matt Clarke joining the team soon after instruction was secured by David Lander in 2002. Over the years, the project has also benefited from input and leadership from colleagues including Mike Newton, as it evolved into one of the largest planned developments in the region.
“This is a project I’ve worked on since pretty much Day 1,” Matt reflects. “It’s been hugely complex in terms of scale, timescales and technical workstreams - making every milestone achieved that much more rewarding.”
The site forms part of a wider new town vision comprising 11,000 new homes, extensive open space, community and education facilities, and commercial uses. Of this total, Boyer secured outline planning permission at the end of 2024 on behalf of the Waterbeach Development Company (WDC) for:
- Up to 4,500 homes
- Two primary schools
- A secondary school and sixth form college
- Retail, leisure and commercial uses
- A broad network of recreational and green infrastructure
Other key milestones include:
- Site allocation in the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan (2018)
- Planning permission for a new railway station (2020)
Waterbeach’s development is being delivered through two separate landownerships, with the remaining 6,500 homes under the stewardship of Urban&Civic, where construction is already underway. This division has added another layer of complexity to the planning process.
“The split ownership meant we needed to agree a cohesive site-wide development framework and maintain constant coordination,” Matt explains. “That collaboration has been crucial in ensuring Waterbeach New Town will emerge as a comprehensively planned and integrated place.”
Legacy Through Scale and Impact
The opportunity to shape a new town from the ground up is rare. For Matt and the wider Boyer team, Waterbeach has been a defining project, both professionally and personally.
“Being part of such a long-running and large-scale scheme is incredibly satisfying,” Matt shares. “Waterbeach represents exactly the kind of complex, transformative work we’re passionate about at Boyer.”
As Waterbeach begins to transition from planning to delivery, it stands as a lasting testament to the role planners can play in creating new communities that will serve generations to come.