Consultation runs from: 1 December 2025 9:00am - 30 January 2026 5:00pm
S/C/NMD: New Museums, Downing Street
- Site area of 1.97 hectares.
- Allocation to provide mixed-use redevelopment /refurbishment for predominantly University uses.
- Capacity subject to detailed proposals for university related uses.
1. proposals must demonstrate how they will meet the following requirements:
a. proposals are required to be submitted with applications for each phase of development;
b. must protect and enhance the setting and character of the Historic Core, Central and listed assets within, or in close proximity to, the site including (but not limited to) the Grade I and Grade II Listed Corpus Christi College Buildings, Grade II* and Grade II Pembroke College Buildings, and Grade II listed assets;
c. A must be provided to demonstrate the potential impact of development on the Listed Buildings and Buildings of Local Interest directly adjoining the site;
d. New buildings must be of a height appropriate to the historic context of the site, designed to add to the grain and variety of the city roofscape, and not compete with existing buildings and the site in its immediate and wider townscape;
e. should improve the public realm in and around the site, including high quality and publicly accessible, open spaces, providing a more appropriate setting for new buildings and the Listed Buildings on the site and to make the heritage of the site more accessible and visible;
f. proposals should take reasonable opportunities to improve circulation for pedestrians and cyclists, together with public realm improvements as part of a comprehensive masterplan;
g. proposals should take reasonable opportunities to introduce active frontages at ground-floor level;
h. given the area’s potential for archaeological remains, development proposals must be accompanied by an appropriate archaeological assessment which includes information on the significance of the heritage asset, including the extent, character and condition of the archaeological resource and the likely impact of the development on the archaeological remains.
Further guidance on the development of this site is set out in the New Museums Development Framework Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) (adopted 2018).
Supporting information
This 1.97 hectare site provides a redevelopment opportunity to provide a mix of university related uses, including faculty. The policy continues to be supported by the New Museums Site Framework adopted in 2018; the SPD helps to enable all parties involved (such as the council and the University of Cambridge) to deliver extensive site improvements. These include:
- improved university facilities;
- changes to the public realm;
- providing better access for all; and
- adopting more sustainable forms of development while respecting the site’s heritage and surroundings.
The New Museums Site is home to a number of university departments, museums, and learning and teaching spaces, and as such most of the site will remain in operational use as development comes forward. The phasing of development will need to be determined with detailed reference to the specific nature of the existing conditions, the proposals for change and the need to maintain a reasonable environment for those continuing to travel, live and work in the vicinity. It is essential that each phase is approached as part of the larger redevelopment of the site and that design is focused on the quality and coherence of the site as a whole.
proposals are required to be submitted with applications for each phase of development and the Councils will require each proposal for development to be compliant with the New Museums Site Framework SPD 2018. The will be updated by the University when necessary (this may include updates after completion of each phase of development).
should create appropriate public realm with high quality open spaces, providing a more appropriate setting for new buildings and the Listed Buildings on the site and, to make the heritage of the site more accessible and visible. The proposed mitigation measures within the policy are required to ensure no unacceptable adverse impacts on the local and wider skyline, townscape and landscape character and setting of listed buildings.
Although the site is highly accessible, due to its City Centre Location, the redevelopment of the site will need to ensure a high sustainable mode share with reduced car parking, improved facilities and permeability for pedestrians and cyclists to improve both circulation within the site and access and exist from the site.
Downing Street and Pembroke Street are a part of the main one way traffic route through the town centre and provide access to Corn Exchange Street from which the city centre car parks are reached. As such they are busy roads and queues frequently form along these roads along the southern edge of the site. A pelican crossing links the site to the University’s Downing Site to the south east but the quality of the environment for pedestrians – with narrow pavements of inadequate width to accommodate the numbers of users, especially at busy times, and those with particular needs – could be improved.
Due to the known archaeology in the area, proposals on the site will need detailed assessment. Specifically, the potential for medieval remains is high as the site’s boundaries encompass the precinct of the Augustinian Friary and the King’s Ditch runs across the southeast corner of the site.
Tell us what you think
We will consider all comments while developing the next version of the .
All comments must be received by 30 January 2026 at 5pm.