A Christian fellowship has won a bid to build and run the first community hub in the new Cambridgeshire town of Northstowe.
South Cambridgeshire District Council selected the Northstowe Church Network over a competing proposal from Hindu Samaj Northstowe. Councillors are expected to approve a 999-year lease for the Stirling Road site in June.
The £5.6m development will include a Christian church, an Islamic prayer and education room, and a hall available for hire by other community and faith groups, including Hindus. Plans also feature a café, exhibition space, rooftop terrace and flexible community areas. The Church Network said only 19% of the building would be used for worship-related activities.
Dr Lisa Redrup, the council’s lead cabinet member for healthy communities, described the decision as an “important milestone” for the growing town, saying spaces like the hub help bring people together and strengthen community life.
Construction is expected to take around 18 months, with the building due to open by 2029. Around 10,000 homes are planned for Northstowe, with 1,700 already occupied, as the town aims to become the UK’s biggest new town since Milton Keynes.